The Washington times., 1917-04-10
The Executive and Congress

L@ACNoAANC 9he
In the debate in the House yester-
day over the proposition to agree to
the Senate amendment to the gen
eral deficiency bill, putting $780,
000, 900 Immediately at the Presi-
dents disposal for war expenditures,
Sherley Of Kentucky was on the
right side and Fitzgerald and Mann
on the wrong side. Fitzgerald evil
IDENTIFY allowed his old grudge against
the Administration to get the better
of his Judgment when he said:
do not believe myself that any
situation has arisen that makes 1t
either necessary or. desirable to
establish in this country the most
absolute autocracy the world has
ever known in government.
And Mann echoed the statement
by saying: y .
I hope that we, will not be
asked. in the endeavor to spread
democracy throughout the world,
to abolish It at home.
Mann's ro-Germanism and Fitz-
gerald's anti-Britishism are Of too
recent date, despite their votes and
speeches fayoring the war resolu-
ton, to render them immune from
criticism when they voice such sem
timents.
Sherley was on solid ground when
he argued the duty Of loyal support
of the Administration:
At this particular time Con-
gress can make no more fatal
mistake than in undertaking to
curtail or to slow down the neces-
sary activities OF the Government
IL this war IL to be prosecuted,
as the resolution declaring war
said It was, by the pledge Of all
the resources Of the United
States. And I hope that in the
consideration of measures that
will come here gentlemen will re-
alize that of necessity we have
got to Leave administrative mat
ters to administrative officers to
an extent that we heretofore
have not.
It was the constitutional preroga-
tive Of Congress to declare war,
whether recommended by the Execu-
tive or not That having been done,
it is the duty of Congress to provide
the means and to vote the supplies
that are needed. The Chief Execu-
tive is not only President Of the
United States, with his ordinary
duty Of recommending measures to
Congress, but he is Commander-in-
Chief of the Army and Navy. He has
been directed by Congress to use
the military and naval forces under
his command for the prosecution Of
the war. If members Of Congress
wish to curtail the sums demanded
for this purpose, that is their right,
and they will be held to strict ac-
countability by their constituents
and by the people at large. But
Congress should not for a moment
attempt to interfere with the con-
duct Of the war itself, and it would
far better fulfil its obligations by
trusting to the judgment Of the Ad-
ministration which has the expert
advice of military and naval authori-
ties than to its own.
The Appropriations Committee Of
the House has taken over the duty,
ordinarily left to the Military and
Naval Committees, of voting sup
plies for the army and navy. That
should lead to harmony Of purpose
and unity of action. But for the
chairman of this important commit
tee to be prating about establishing
a despotism and for the minority
leader to be voicing a fear Of the
Of democracy are not re-
assuring to the minds of the Ameri-
can people with their attention con-
centrated upon the attitude Of Con-
gressional leaders, as never before.
Richard olney was a man whose