The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1917-07-30
BY ARTHUR w. DUNN.

BY ARTHUR w. DUNN.
Washington, July 2s.-tSpecial. J.
why question the constitutionality OF
acts of congress dealing with the war;
If both houses of congress pass bills
and the president signs them and they
are put into operation what good will
1t do to raise the point about their
constitutionality?
In all probability the supreme court
would not get around t o making a de-
cisiOn until after Ii has been shown
whether or not the avs were feasible
and necessary for the conduct of the
war. III they were necessary 1t Is
doubtful whether any our would de
clare them void on a constitutional
point.
War Power Supreme.
1t is the opinion of many good law
yers that the war power Is supreme.
Senator Knox OF Pennsylvania and
Senator Kellogg OF Minnesota, both
regarded as eminently qualified to
speak on the subject or law and the
constitution, have said that the war
power Is supreme and that technical
ties cannot stand In the way of prose
cutting a war TO a successful conclu-
sion.
In this connection Senator Smoot OF
Utah, who IL not a lawyer, but knows
"A lot about legislation, asserts that he
norVrar paaEaa hiu ananndmnnf IN
the food bin constitutional.
The President 10 Dominant.
Germany mnst be crushed before
we see the day of peace" declared Sen
ator Stone of Missouri In the senate.
II am stating the exact attitude as Ii
is now. Ii may be that something may
later occur to change the presidents
attitude, and If the president changes
his attitude the congressman will
change their attitude, not otherwise"
Senator Stone vas stating what Is
generally conceded In Washington. In
all matters pertaining to the war the
president is dominant. War would not
nave been declared If he had not urged
it. The many war measures could not
have passed without his insistence.
Whenever he declares for peace con-
gress will be with him.
No Lack Of Defenders
President Wilson and his administra-
ton do not lack defenders In either the
house or the senat This Is particu-
larly true in the senate. where the ad
m~inistration has been subjected to the
most severe criticism. Ii has 80 hap
pened that in the senate the admins
tration measures have been more Sc
verely criticised on the Democratic side
than by Republicans. 1t is notably q
fact hat Senators Reed OF Missouri,
Gore of Oklahoma, Mcclellan of Ten
nessee, Vardaman of Mississippi, Hard
wick OF Georgia and some others have
been rather vigorous In their criticisms.
some of them pointing directly TO the
president.
But no sooner is a speech delivered
which critieises the president or some
of his cabinet officers or appointees
than there is at once a number Of mel
ready for the defense. Senators Cham.
berlain of Oregon, Pomerene OF Ohio
Shafroth of Colorado, Myers OF Mon
tana and Williams of Mississippi are al
ways on hand ready to defend the leg
islation or administration even IL they
10 not indorse all that the president
has been doing.
OF course special mention should bt
made of James Hamilton Lewis Of I'LL
nois, for he is one OF the stanch sup
porters Of the administration and ev
erything that II has done. In fact, the
Illinois senator has sometimes been re
ferred to as the defender OF the ad
m~inistration."
MADE In Conference"
1t is probable that the most impor
tant legislation OF this session will bea
the brand made I'm conference" / re
fer particularly to the food control bin
which In many Ways is far more impor
tant than any act Of congress In thu
last thirty or forty years, and also thu
revenue bin, which Is expected to rais'
from 81, 100000, 900 to g., OO0,OOO,OO0 b.
taxation.
The amendments made to both %
these measures I'm the senate are sucl
as to send the entire legislation Int
conference, and the conferees will WIFI
it into shape and present 1t to their re
spective houses for ratification. Entir'
sections and chapters Of these bills vii
lie redrafted before the conference cor
mittee can agree upon their report.
Not Somewhere In France"
A MAI whose son graduated from
West Point last month was asked abou
his whereabouts.
HE has landed in France" was tn
reply, Il have had two letters iron
him. He says the men from his shil
were the first to land; also that the,
n had some Interesting experiences IL
crossing which he will tell us ubOu
Id when he comes home"
II suppose his letters are date