Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1917-04-20
The Presidents Powers

The Government of the United
States, whatever it's faults may be at
other times, as humanity organized
system, becomes in war model OF
simplicity and efficiency. Then
practically all power centers in the
Executive. Administration, in its
largest sense, is delegated to him.
As Chief OF the Army
and Navy he exercises control over
all of the Nations armed forces on
land and sea. He can make or un-
make generals and admirals. He can
direct or alter all campaign plans. He
can move armies or fleets as he
chooses. He may seek or accept ad.
vice, but he may, at his pleasure, ig-
more or reject it. He is the War
Council Of the Nation. He not merely
symbolizes the power of the demo.
crazy over which he rules, but he
possesses and exercises that power.
He is virtually a dictator. His com.
mands are absolute. No other ruler
on earth is clothed with such un.
limited discretionary authority. Yet
he never ceases to be the servant of
the people. If his powers are great,
so, also, are his responsibilities. He
must keep constantly in view the
time when he will be called upon for
an accounting.
1t is the prerogative of the Congress
to declare war, and to vote supplies; ;
but the President is the instrument
through which the wishes of Congress
are carried out. There is no need of
new enactments. There is no need of
special legislative instructions. There
is no need of charging the depart
ments or Of celebrating their func-
tions. The one word Executive" is
al-embracing. A command beginning
by order of the President" is backed
by the strength of the Republic. The
machinery is, as it were, automatic.
It is all but perfect, and, wonder OF
wonders, it is democratic.
Oneman power is not new thing
on the western side of the Atlantic.
Madison directed the war of 1872,
Polk the war of 1916, Lincoln the war
Of 1861, and Mckinley the war of 1898.
Not one of the four escaped criticism.
It became necessary for each to dis
miss favorites in the Army and Navy,
to run counter, at times, to the wishes
OF party leaders, even to popular be-
liefs and prejudices,. but in no in
stance has the system proved serious
ly defective.
Madison, Polk, Lincoln, and Nc
Kinley, all popular at the beginning
and still more popular at the end, for
all came through their wars success
fully, were harassed, in the most
critical stages of their tasks, by fault
finders whose grievances were mainly
of personal character, and usually
rooted in petty jealousies and resent,
ments. Lincoln described the eXper-
fence as an annoyance from gnats. In
some quarters now, even while the
Nation is still ringing with applause
of Woodrow Wilson's great State
paper of April 2, there is evidence of
a tendency to impose upon him I'M
sought advice with regard to those in
whom he should repose trust and
authority. While there can be no
sound objection to proper counsel
and constructive criticism, it should
be remembered that the President
alone must bear, on the part of the
United States, the burden of respon-
sibility for the outcome of this strug-
gle; that by his acts he will be judged;
and that common fairness, as well as
the welfare of the Nation demands
that he be left to work out his plans
with freedom.
Trustful loyalty to and support of
the President through the coming
months, or years, as the case may be,
will be the best service the people as
a whole can render the Countrywide
Christian Science Monitor