New Mexico state record. (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1914-19??, 1918-02-01
Mr.. WILSON ASSUMES
CRITICISM IS FROM
ULTERI0R MOTIVES
CHARGES THAT DEMOCRATIC
SENATOR is MOVED BY
ANTAGONIST TO ADMINS
TRATION, NOT ZEAL FOR
AMERICA

philadelphia Public Ledger)
By his denunciaton of Senator
Chamberlain for criticising the war
making activities of the Government
by his strenuous opposition to leg
islation designed to render these
more efficient, the President has
taken upon himself heavy respon.
sibility. He assumes, in the first
place, that those who do not agree
with him are inspired by Interior
motives. Thus he accuses d member
of his own party, who has given
loyal and effective support to mea-
sures he himself has urged, of being
moved by antagonism to the Admin
istration rather than by zeal for re-
FORM He complains of the congress
sional investigations because they
drew indispensable officials of the
department constantly away from
their work." and declares that moth
ing helpful can come out of them
He defends the Secretary OF War
without reserve, and calls him one
of the ablest public officials he has
ever known. Whether he is right
or wrong in this opinion does not
for the moment matter. The point
is that he takes a stubborn attitude
of confidence in himself and his ad
visers which only results can justify.
He holds that the mistakes have
been insignificant, that they will not
be repeated, and that, if Congress
removes "the few statutory OBJ
stacles," measures which have been
"thoughtfully and maturely perfect
cd" by implication better measures
than any which Congress is likely
TO propose, can be put into opera
ton. In other words he meets all
objections by asking for another
blank cheque to fill in as he ch DOSES,
one item in it being authority to
fix prices.
For Renewed Confidence
This is practically an appeal to the
public for continued confidence in
the face of every failure. The Presi
dent would hardly deny that he has
had generous support SO far. AS
Senator Lodge said III his vigorous
reply to Senator Stone, there has
been no partisanship since war was
daclared The Republicans in both
houses have voted for all the mea-
sures necessary for the war, even
when members of the Presidents
own party voted against them. They
have asked for nothing, they have
left the President unhampcred, they
have given him full authority, little
as they liked some of his acts and
appointments. He now takes the
position that he and those response
BILE to him have used this authority
to the best advantage. He resents
rhe suggestion that Director of
Munitions would speed the opera
tions of the Ordnance Bureau or
that War Cabinet would increase
military effectiveness. He may be
right; but majority, probably, Of
the Senate. many members of the
House and considerable portion,
at least, of the public are beginning
to think that he may not be right.
It is an implied condition in the
granting of extraordinary powers
that they shall effect what they are
intended to effect No one questions
the Presidents ability-still less his
intentions. But do the facts justify
the assumption that he can carry on
this war unaided? Has he men about
him, men to whom he of necessity
must delegate much of his authority,
to bear the burden put
upon Them? Are there other men,
needed at such time, whom he will
not utilize? Senator Chamberlain
and many of his colleagues plainly
believe the answer to these ques-
tons must be in the negative. Does
the public agree with them? The
fate of the measures the President
opposes depends ultimately upon the
public.
No Infringing Upon Powers
All other aspects of the situation
are subsidiary to this Remote con-
arguments go wide of the
mark. The President has great
powers in time of peace. He has
greater powers in time of war. But
in both cases they rest upon the
same basis. In neither case does
Congress abdicate its legislative |
The fact that the Presi- |
dent has repeatedly gone to Cong
ress for legislation shows this. But
what Congress has the authority to
give it also has the authority to take /
away. 1t could. for example. repeal
the act under which the Fuel Ad- /
has recently exercised so
autocratic a power. Nor would this
impair in the least the authority of
the President as Communicating chief
Of the Army and Navy-unless, in
deed, it is assumed that in war mill
tary authority is to supersede en-
tirely civilian authority. A War
Cabinet would no more usurp the
Presidents military authority than
the present Cabinet-an extra-legal
body, by the way-usurps it. The
members would be appointed by the
President with the advice and con-
sent" of the Senate. They could is
,ue no orders except with his ap-
,roval Mr.. Wilson would still be
commander-in-chief and President.
An Interpretation of the Constitu-
ton which would make such a body
unconstitutional would make the
President a dictator.
Win War Foremost Thing
The purpose of both parties to this
dispute is to win the
var in the speediest and most ef-
iective way. The President should
De the last man TO seem to cast re-
Flections upon those who feel that
he has not yet discovered this way
Ind who are anxious to aid him in
he quest. He cannot expect to be