The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1917-12-22

~ ses g lsssNioN u. q, Dee. 90.
There tie eight congressional inyes.
tigations going on here or about to
start They are inquiring into all sub.
3ects all Of which have to do with
me conduct Of and preparation for the
K War: AS far as they have gone the
\ isclosure5 are many and Drofitable
senoigh to. justify the wholesale prob.
s1ns and to stamp the undertaking as
timely. 80
There Is no partisan politics in this
sweeplng inquiry at all. There was
none in passing the various resolu.
lions ordering it.. Members of both
parties united in demanding it, and.
TINS time, there came from the execu.
tive branch Of the government no eff.
fort Il, forestall It. 1t was the natural
nutgrowth of conditions which have
been unofficially discussed for months
There continued to be so much smoke
that 1t were absurd for even the stub.
bornest partisans of officials in respon-
sible positions to oppose an effort to
see whether there was any fire.
In the recent special session any
honest and sincere effort made by
Congress to find out what was being
4 done by the branch OF the government
upon which the war.wnging RESPONSE
bilitr rests. stimulated by patriotic
motives and plain, hard American bus
mess commonsense, was incontinent-
eddy sat upon. One OF these efforts, 1t
viii be recalled, took the form of a
resolution calling for the creation OF a
joint committee Of Congress on the
conduct Of the war. The purpose of
this was to help and not to hinder the
( executive branch. The president
wrote q note In which he stated blunt
II that such action by Congress he
would consider an unwarranted inter-
terence and in the nature of question
ing his integrity; an action that he
could not consider otherwise than a
most serious reflection upon him. In
deed, from that note 1t was evident
that the President looked upon the
PROPOSAL as insulting and humiliating.
Then. and not till then, did the prop.
osition give up the ghost and expire.
What happened in the short space
Of the few weeks which constituted
the congressional recess to bring
Congress back determined. without
any party division to make searching
investigation Of everything is a matter
for interesting conjecture but waste
nt time and space Just now. That
the sentiment of the public in which
the Senators, and Representatives
came In contact on their visit back
home had q great deal to do with It.
1t appears unnecessary to argue. But
TO make that long story a short one,
Congress lost no time after reconven.
ing ii starting to find out what had
l1esn, going on and all about 1t. 1t
had done everything demanded OF 1t
at the special war session without a
Question, going at It blindly in dark
mess that the government said was
necessary. Congress was patriotic,
generous and subservient to the limit
Ind beyond It. When 1t adjourned
Ind went home 1t found itself in such
hense Ignorance when its constituents
baked what was doig that 1t was glad
ITO get away from home and come
back to its Job in Washington.
Behind this general investigating
movement there has yet been display.
ia no marrow partisanisnn. NJ sign
has cropped up that anybody wants
boz persecnte anybody else. The IN.
hurry thus far has anoved along the
lines OF the most unselfish patriot
Ism and the most honest purpose to
md out what is wrong and TO correct
K without delay. Tho idea seems to
besif mon have not measured up to the
tcrnpetarcv expected OF them, they
tisouid be let out and new men called
u for trial u the system" is wrong
Esrd We hear tnnch OF the .system'')
hen the iics OF Congress is to see
mai II ~ changed, u tits rcd tarc..
lhen 10 something to set Ri; OF that