Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1917-07-24
(By Morning journal Special Leased wire.>

Washington, July 2S.--President
Wilson asked congress today to elimi-
nate from the food control bill a SEN
ate amendment creating a joint COM
nittee of senators and representatives
to confer and advise with executive
officials on war expenditures.
In letter to Chairman Lever OF the
house agriculture committee, the
president pointed out in frank terms
that such II committee would be likely
to constantly harass those directly re-
sponsible for the conduct of the war
detention OF the section, he notified
congress, he would ~ compelled to
interpret as signifying "a lack of con-
fidence in myself"
Mr.. Lever and other house leaders
are understood to be ready to make
a determined fight against the provi-
sion, which was voted into the bill
near the close OF the long senate de-
bate. The house leaders also are
planning to oppose vigorously the
senate's provision for a food control
board of three members instead of
one administrator, and there are many
Indications that in this likewise they
Will have the presidents unqualified
backing.
Mr.. Wilson wrote to Representative
Lever in response to letter promis-
ing to hasten the food bill through
conference, and asking advice on the
war committee provision The pres-
dents reply follows:
Tho Presidents Letter.
Il am very much obliged to you
FOR your thoughtful courtesy in stat
ing to me the circumstances of the
present action on the food admins
tratlon bill, and | am particularly
Obliged to you for calling my attention
To section 23. | deem il my duty to
express my opinion about that SECTION
and its effect upon the whole admin
lstratlon OF the war very frankly in
deed, since the public interest mani
iestly demands that / should do So
Section 23 is not only foreign TO
the subject matter Of the food ad-
minlstration bill in which it is incor-
rorated but would, if enacted into
law, render my task of conducting the
war practically impossible. I cannot
bel1eve that those who proposed this
section scrutinized il with care or an
alyZed the effects which its opera-
tons would necessarily have. The
constant supervision of executive ac-
ton which it contemplates would
amount to nothing less than assump-
ton on the part of the legislative
body Of the executive work of the ad-
ministration.
Points Precedent.
"There is very ominous precedent
In our history which shows how such
supervision would operate. I refer
to the committee on the conduct of
the war constituted ny the congress
during the administration of Mr.. Lin
coin. 1t was the cause of constant
and distressing harassment and rem
dered Mr.. Lincolns task all but i'm
possible.
i am not, | beg you to believe in
any way questioning what might be
the motives or the purpose of the
members of such q committee; | am
ready to assume that they would wish
to cooperate in the most patriotic
spirit, but cooperation of that kind
is not practicable in the circum-
stances. The responsibility rests
upon the administration. There are
abundant existing means of investiga-
ton and of the effective enforcement
of that responsibility | sincerely
hope that upon the reconsideration of
this matter both houses of congress
will see that my objections rest upon
indisputable grounds and that | could
only interpret the final adoption of
section 23 as arising from a lack of
confidence in myself"
Owen Author Of Section.
The section objected to by the