Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-04-27
JOINING POWER TO RESPON-
SIBILITY

ADVICES from Washington indicate
Il that the Senate will pass the
amended Overman bill today. When first
introduced this bill was lscrbed as a
measure to make the President an ire
sponsible dictator. The discussion on ii
since then has disclosed such variety
of conflicting arguments against it and
such consistent array Of arguments for
it that the country is now in Il mood to
accept it as a necessary concentration OF
power in the hands of the President. 1t
is all the more ready to accept it because
the President himself has shown that he
is amenable to criticism and is willing
to accept advice. Since the bill was
introduced he has called TO his assist
ance some Of the biggest men in the
country and is supposed to be looking
for more Of the same kind. We know
now that he is willing to reverse him
self when he learns that he has made "a
mistake and that he will not abuse his
power.
The bill authorizes the President to
make such redistribution Of functions
among the executive departments as may
seem to him necessary for the more
effective exercise and administration. Of
his powers as commander-in-Chie of the
land and naval forces. II cmpowe him
to disregard previous laws comforting
upon any executive department, bureau
or commission specific duties and to
assign those duties where they can be
best performed He may consolidate
departments or divide them, and he may
move the personnel about as he sees fit.
In brief, the bill makes the whole cXecu-
tive branch of the Government fluid in
order that any part Of it may he utilized
instantly for any work pressing to he
done.
If the opponents of the measure could
only agree among themselves the coun-
try might attach some weight to their
objections. But when one learned Sena-
tor says that the bill is unnecessary for
the reason that the President as COM
mander-in-chief Of the army and navy.
can do all the things which the bill pur-
ports to permit him to do and when
another learned Senator says that the
measure is so clearly unconstitutional
that the Supreme Court would instantly
declare it invalid, what are those of us
outside of the Senate to do but to use
our own common sense?
The President is too wise man to ask
for the right to exercise powers beyond
those confer ted on him by the Constitu-
ton. He knows that it would be futile.
We must assume that he took legal
advice before asking that the Overman
bill be passed and found that Congress
could pass it if it wished We must
assume also that his sole purpose for
seeking to cut the bonds which have
bound him when he has sought to use
the full power Of the executive depart
mentS in the prosecution Of the war has
been that he might make those depart
ments more effective. We must trust his
judgment. We do not question either his
patriotism or his honesty of purpose.
Nor do we suspect him of aspiring to
any unconstitutional dictatorship. The
question at issue is merely, what is the
best way to free his hands?
He tells us that the Overman bill is
what he wants. If he fails under it he
must bear the odium. and if he succeeds
the credit will properly belong to him. In
some quarters there is the disposition to
indulge in such nippant criticism as that
made by Senator Fall when he said that
we ought to silence the defenders of the
Administration by putting in the hands
Of the President all the power he seeks
in order that when the executive depart
ments break down the blame cannot be
shifted to the shoulders of Congress
But we do not think that any consider
able number of citizens who realize the
seriousness of the war are disposed to
shirk any due responsibility or to nag
any one who is doing his best to bear
heavy burden.
We are ready to approve the Overman
bill if that is what the President thinks
he needs, and we expect that when it
finally shall become law he will use the
new powers in such a way as to justify
its passage