The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1918-02-23
The Senate Sub Committee,
However, Fails to Specify
the Changes Sought.
SEN. DILLINGHAM;
VOTED ADVERSELY
to Organize Departments or Agencies
Stricken Out.

WASHINGTON, Feb. 23.-The Over
man bill by a vote of 3 to was or
dered reported to the senate judiciary
committee by the subcommittee which
has had charge of its revision Chair
man Overman of the committee.
with Senators Fletcher (FIa.), Demo
cratic, and Nelson MIMI Republican,
voted for the report. Senator'S Reel
(Mo9, Democratic, and Dillingham;
tFt.), Republican, voted adversely.
The Overman bill as amended by the
subcommittee is modified materially
from the measure originally introduced
by the North Carolinan under executive
direction, which raised such protest at
the time of its introduction from all
sides Of the senate
The feature which permitted the pres
ident to organize departments or agen-
cles of government at his own will was
stricken out. As revised the bill per
mits the president TO make such re-
distribution OF functions among exec
utive agencies as he may deem neces.
airy, including any functions, duties and
/ powers hitherto conferred upon any
executive department, commission, BIZ
| reau, agency, Office or officer during
the period of the war
/ The clause of the original measure
under which the president was author
| lied TO make such changes in such
manner as he may deem appropriate =
| also was stricken out and in substitute
! therefore was written authority to
utilize, coordinate and consolidate
| existing agencies or agencies hereafter
/ to be created by law
| 1t will be pointed out when the bIil
t comes up before the full committee and
! later IN the senate, that the main CON
| tentlon of opponents of the bill is lust
! as live today as when the Overman bill
| first saw the light. The only real
| change il the elimination of the power
| 10 create entirely new agencies. 9th
j "rwise the bill in its changed form is
| lust as misehieyous. from the point OF
! view OF Tie opposition, as il ever was
| The bill : opponents insist that they
| stand ready to comply through appro-
! pirate legislation with any proposition
| winch the president may desire TO sub
| mil IN the matter of the consolidation
| or coordination Of any existing govern
ment departments, bureaus, commits
| SONS or agencies, or to create new ones
, II desired, but it will demand 4 spcci.
| teation OF such agencies
The Overman bill Il expected to meet
| through executive action the deticieu
! eles III administration which the Cham
| teflain hlll to create a war cabinet ard
| the bill by the same author to create a
| dictatorship of munitions originally re.
| leved. Those bills have the favor of
! the Chamberlain element in the senate
| The Overman bill is the administra.
| tlen 5 counter proposition
| The act Of the subcommittee ioins
| the issue and it is now mp to the senate
| to proceed with the fight along lines
| which the two sets Of measures define.
| The subcommittee majority members
| say they hope that in the solution thev
reached IN reporting the bin to the ruii
/ committee they have met the demands
| OF Republicans and Democrats for
| basis Of agreement. The minority mem
| be.a however. were not of the same
mind. They thought il would onl,. pre-
| cipitate the discussion on the floor and
| adhered to the view that the measure
| could not survive discussion in the sen
ate itself