The commercial. (Union City, Tenn.) 190?-193?, 1918-02-01


prive him of his constitutional pow
ers and functions as the chief execu-
tive of this government.
Such an attempt was made in the
senate of the United States in July,
1917, when an amendment to the food
control bill was adopted by vote of
SO to 81, providing for a
committee of Congress to supervise
the executive functions Of the presi-
dent in the conduct of the war, and
in the effect to control his actions
as chief executive. Every vote in the
negative was that of Democrat. The
fifty-three affirmative votes comprised
the entire Republican membership OF
the senate voting on that amendment
and few Democrats including the
present senior senator from Ternes-
see. That this amendment did not be-
come a part of the law was due to
the efforts of administratio leaders
in both branches Of congress, who, in
conference, ripped the amendment
from the bill, following the p~esI-
dents protest against il.
In respect to this effort to shorten
his arm and diminish his just consti-
tutional powers the president. in a
letter written to Congressman Lever
for publication-anAong other
things mildly said:
The constant supervision of exec
utive action which the proposed COM
mittee contemplated would amount to
nothing less than an assumption, on
the part of the legislative body, of
the executive work of the administra-
ton"
During these times pregnant with
the fate of democracy, while many
arms are needed there must be only
one directing, responsible head-one
chief executive, Woodrow Wilson.
Further Interference With Duties and
Powers of President.
Just how far the senior senator is
standing by the president may be
further judged by his action in rela-
ton to the recent executive order de-
signed TO conserve the supply and
regulate the distribution and delivery
OF fuel coal. refer to the order re-
Gently issued by National Fuel Ad-
ministrator Garfield, approved by the
president, and authorized under an
act OF congress designed &C shown by
It's title:
40 provide further for the Nation
al Security and defense by encour-
aging the production, conserving the
supply and controlling the Distribu-
tion of food products and fuel"
When notice was given that such
an order would be issued certain fault
finders in the senate, after a few
days rest from heckling the secreta-
ry of war, and realizing that their
futile fiutterings were understood and
resented by the great body of citizens
protested and cried aloud in the name
of Business" that the country would
be ruined by this executive order de-
signed to carry into effect the true in
tent and spirit of the very law enacted
to meet just such emergent condi-
tions as confronted the country.
Thereupon two resolutions we're Of
fered in the senate, requesting but in
effect demanding that the order be
suspended so that, as stated in one
resolution;
''Protests may be heard, investiga-
ton made and information pre-
sented."
Or. as stated in the other resolu-
ton:
Until a thorough investigation
shall be made for the necessity of the
proposed action"
So the senate wanted to investigate
and debate, when it was manifest
that people were freezing and the
channels of commerce choked.
After haggling and debating, and
by its attitude delaying preparation
for compliance with the order, the
senate adopted the first resolution,
The senior senator voted for it.
What lawyer ever dreamed that
the execution of an act of congcess
could be suspended by resolution?
Full power to meet the emergency
had been solemnly conferred on the
president. But the fault finders, with
out conceding that the president and
his advisers. sworn to execute the
law, might have information of con-
ditions known to them but which it
might be unwise to disclose to the
world and to the enemy, insisted on
debating and investigating, thus SOW
ing broadcast seeds of discomfort and
infaming here and there passions of
self-interest, by creating doubts as to
the wisdom" or necessity" of the
action of the president, because the
order was in effect his executive act.
So National Fuel Administrator
Garfield was, according to press dis
patches, hailed before subcommittee
of The senate and there forced to dis
close that the order suspending the
operation Of such industrial plants
as were least essential to war prepa-
ration was not only for the purpose
of conserving the supply and provid-
ing coal for the domestic consumer
and to relieve serious congestion in
traffic, but also to secure coal for
transports lying idle in our Atlantic
ports. and unable for lack of coal to
carry needed war material and food
and other supplies to our boys and
allies across the sea.
Nagging senate committees had al
ready succeeded in disclosing to the
enemy whatever of weakness or lack
there may be in our war preparations.