New Britain herald., 1917-04-07
COALITION CABINET
 URGED IN SENATE
Proposal for War Board of Non-
 Partisan Complexion

k Washington, April 7.-The appoint mont of . coalition cabinet to em- brace both democrats and republi- cans was urged by Senator William Alden Smith. republican. of Michigan. in the senate yesterday. In declaring that the citizens of Michigan were back of the president in the conduct of tho war, he said it should not be g partisan war and declared that the president would find many men in the republican ranks for the cabinet or for any other purpose.
 Tho president, Senator Smith said, could call upon Senator Lodge, whom he described as ''fit to be the premier in any cabinet in the world," or Sena- tor Knox, an experienced and able lawyer" He also suggested William Howard Taft as "calm, able and pru- dent" He said President Mckinley during the war with Spain had called to service men of all political parties
 ''Henceforth with me, politics to the winds" said Senator Smith. "Faction- alism, discord and sectionalism will be unknown in my heart and mind If I know the high character and pur- pose of the president he will know no party. no faction of his countrymen. in this trying time.''
 ., A non-partisan committed. to be known officially as the Committee of the Conduct of the War" is being definitely considered by the members of the house of representatives, espe- cially in case there are no immediate indications of changes In the cabinet. This has been brought by the after math of discussion of the war resolu- tion. Party lines were broken down completely in the vote for war. Demo- crats and republicans who favored the declaration are apparently convinced that such a committee would facili- tate greatly the progress of war leg islation.
 War Steering Committee.
 In general way the functions of this committee. as suggested by vari- ous house members. will be to act as sort of war steering committee" Just as there are now steering com mittees for legislation of a purely par tisan nature. It's duties would include a canvass of the sentiment of the house on the particular bill to be taken up, to find the objections to it, discuss procedure, and in general to smooth out difhculties in advance of debate. so that united front may be presented to the world.
 A second task suggested for the committee is' to act as o-betwecn from the legislative to the executive branches of the government. For in- stance. 1t was said that such a conl- mittee might prove helpful in secur- Ing a compromise between conscrip- ton and the volunteer system of rais- Ing an army, acute objections to which were raised today.
 The possible need for such a com mittee was made evident through the disclosure that the reference of the war budget of $3,5OO,0OO,OOO to the appropriations committee instead of the military affairs committee is dis approved of by some of the members of the latter committee
 Just such complications as this may arise with reference to other war legis- lation. 1t was indicated. The question
 may arise between the foreign affairs committee and the judiciary commit tee in connection with espionage bills Some of these measures have been re- ported to the house by the Judiciary committee, while at the same time the foreign af1airs committee has charge
 of other bills of the same general na-
 ture on which they are preparing to | make report.