The silver state. [volume] (Winnemucca, Nev.) 1909-1925, 1917-08-07
THE JOINT CONGRESSIONAL
COMMITTEE

the following statement at us WASH
ington headquarters:
president wilson's objection to the
creation Of a joint congressional COM
mittee on war expenditures, with a
majority Of that committee composed
Of members Of his own party, is based
on the false assumption that this IS
his war; that he is responsible for its
efficient management. and hat lie
alone is infallible. With equal reason
a president OF a corporation. as soon
as elected, might say. We will abolish
our constitution and bylaws and dis
qualify the board Of directors as soon
as they have delegated to me all cf
their powers and voted me the right
to expend all the assets Of the corpor-
alton
president Wilson is undoubtedly
correct in the assertion that creation
OF such a committee could be inter
preted only as a lack Of confidence n
the executive. The fact is that our
system of government. providing as it
does for three coordinate branches
is in itself an expression Of lack OF
confidence in the executive acting
alone. Throughout the world today
there is lack of confidence in dicta-
tors.
THE creation Of a joint congress
sional committee on war expenditures
is not necessarily an expression Of
lack of confidence in the Presidents
integrity, but it indicates lack of con-
fdence in the ability of any n man
to conduct the affairs of a great gov
eminent such as this when involved ~
the greatest war in history. 1t is
automatic that Capitalization of power
in an individual can only result IN
operations commensurate with the in
diyiduafs integrity, ability and expe-
rience. The record of the Wilson ad-
ministration to late fully justifes lack
of confidence. In time of war, as N
time of peace, his administration has
been partisan, sectional, vacillating
and inefficient. To put more ships on
the sea is the pressing need OF the
hour. Although the act creating the
shipping board was passed last Sep
TENDER, that board. selected by the
President after three months of delay,
has wasted its energies by strife
among its members. At the outset of
our participation in the war, the
President delayed urgent legislation
by pressing his demand for a need
less throttling of the press. Inexpe-
rienced if not incompetent men are
retained in his Cabinet. Partisan
service figures more than experience
In the most recent of important ap-
pointments.
But 1t is needless to enumerate
instances pertinent 10 the issue of
lack of confidence. Congress gets its
existence. its powers and its respon-
sibilities from the same constitution
that created the Office Of President.
Members of the Senate and House are
the only officers chosen by direct vote
of the people. They are charged with
responsibility for raising armies. pro-
viding revenue, and authorizing ex-
penditures. 1t is not only their right
but their duty to see that funds are
effectively spent in accordance with
law.
Creation OF the joint committee
involves vastly more than the ques
ton of confidence In the President. 1t
involves the very fundamentals of
democracy. The var is a direct out
growth of centralized power in execu-
tives. If the legislative body in Ger
many had possessed and exercised
the legislative powers of a republic,
there would have been no war. As
sertion Of divine right and assumed
infallibility must be overthrow in
Europe and must be forestalled IN
American. This car be accomplished
only by courageous exercise by Con-
gressu of those duties and powers vest
ed in 1t by the constitution. The time
and the occasion are here.
In his opposition to the creation OF
the congressional committee, Presi-
dent Wilson has raised the issue re-
tween autocracy and democracy. II
is an issue which must be squarely