Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1918-02-11
REPUBLICANS
FOR WAR BILLS
Senators Agree to Do Every
thing Possible For U. S.
Success in Conflict

Washington d. C. Feb. Ire
publican Senators will give hearty
and united support to all measures
necessary to the vigorous prosecu-
tion of the war to a successful is
sue"
This decision was formally reached
at the first conference held by Re-
publican members of the Senate
since the entrance of the United
States into the World War;
While various items of pending
legislation were naturally expected to
be brought under discussion as a re-
suit of the announced meeting, they
formed but small part of the pro-
ceedings. These were the Railroad
bill and the bill for creating war
finance corporation, and more es-
pecially the Overman bill designed
to equip the President with unusual
authority and power.
THAT none was responsible for the
conference was emphatically stated
by leading members in attendance.
Not to Act as Unit
THE conference was not called
to consider the effecting of Repuh-
lican organization against any pend
ing measure" said Senator Calling
er, of New Hampshire.
THE fact" continued the Senator,
$50 far as that phase of the situa-
ton was concerned the result of the
discussion was that with respect to
measures not vitality connected with
the prosecution of the war, there
would be no thought of acting as
u unit.
''It was recognized that there are
features of pending legislation
which need careful consideration.
In touching on the Overman bill, the
question of granting too much power
to the President was practically
disregarded. The talk trended more
toward the desirability of volun-
tary organization of effective work.
ing strength, rather than the at
tempt to reach the same ends
through the adoption of hard and
fast statutory methods"
Senator Gallinger illustrated his
meaning by reference to the Bri-
tish organization, where five or SIN
men of distinction, representing en-
pert ability in their PARTICULAR
fields, have been appointed and
given power to act, without the
introduction of special laws, to make
the system one of rigidity.
VIII ScrutinlZe Measure
While it was intimated by Sena-
tor Gallinger and others that the
bill now before the Senate would be
clared that there was no intention
on the part of the Republican MEM
bership of consolidating either for
or against any of the measures.
This preservation of the open
mind" it was indicated, gave ample
allowance for free debate and m
divdual differences of opinion and
action, without Vitiating the agree
ment, freely entered into, that es-
sential war measures would receive
the united support of the party
membership in the Senate.
Following the adjournment of the
conference, which was attended by
more than half of the Republican
members of the Senate, Senator Gal
linger issued the following brief
statement:
THE conference was not called
for the purpose of securing party
action and no such action was taken.
Republican Senators, as heretofore,
will give cordial support to all ne
cessary legislation for the vigorous
prosecution of the war to success
full issue"
Senator Penrose was not in at
tendance at the conference, being
absent from Washington at the time
OF it's holding. He had previously
expressed his opposition to the over
man bill in it's present form, how
ever, on the ground that it granted
practically autocratic power to the
President, at the same time taking
the course already followed by Con-
-gress in unduly abandoning its pre-
negatives and responsibilities.