The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1918-05-15
Wilson Says Passage Of Res
olution Would Be a "Vote
of Lack of Confidence
ATTEMPT BY CONGRESS
TO RUN THE WAR
He Does Not Object to Full
Investigation of the Air
Craft Situation

Washington, May l5.-In letter to
day 10 Senator Martin of Virginia, Dem
ocratic leader in the Senate, President
Wilson declared he would regard passugs
of the Chamberlain resolution calling foI
an investigation OF aircraft aud other
war activities. as direct vote Of want
Of confidence in the administration and
an attempt by Congress to take over
conduct of the war.
The president informed Senator Mar
tin that he had no objection to the most
searching inquiry into the aircraft sit.
uation, but that he deemed inadvisable
at this time any investigation of the con.
duet of the war. AT the last session Of
Congress his opposition to such inyesti
CATION put an end 10 proposals that it be
made.
II was believed that the presidents
attitude was due TO the form in which
Senator Chamberlain, Of Oregon, chair
man of the Senate military committee,
introduced the resolution. The resolu.
tion authorized and directed" the com.
mittee ito inquire into and report to the
Senate the progress of aircraft produc-
tion in the United States, or into any
other matters relating to the conduct of
the war, by or through the war depart.
ment.
Objection to the wording of the reso-
luton was made yesterday by several
senators and also by Sen
ator Thompson of Kansas. chairman of
the Senate expenditures committee, TO
which il was referred and who conferred
with the president late yesterday. Sena-
tor Thompson has insisted and members
Of the military committee have agreed
TO redraft the resolution to authorize the
to inquire merely into army
activities and not into general conduct
Of the war or military strategy.
The text of the presidents letter to
Senator Martin was not made public.
The expenditures committee met to-
iav TO redraft the resolution.
Senator Chamberlain and Others Of the |
committee have declared there |
vas no objection TO limiting the scope !
If the resolution to army operations and |
lave disclaimed any intention of plan
ling any general inquiry into "the con-
luct of the war"
The only investigation planned by the
which met to-day to appoint
to take charge, are into
aircraft patent licensing, ord
Iance production and the quartermaster
eneral's bureau. These inquiries are re-
arded by the committee as continus-
ions, divided into separate branches of
Is recent inquiry.
II has been reported that some sena-
ors favor restricting the committees
INQUIRY to aviation alone.
The whole question of the scope OF the
inquiry was awaiting con-
Iteration when the Senate convened to-
ay, upon report by the expenditures
,mmittee of the revised Chamberlain !
The subcommittee, which will inves-
gate ordnance production left to-day,
by Assistant Secretary Of
FAR Stettinius and Major General Will !
ans, acting chief of ordnance, to in
,ect the Bethlehem and Midyale Ord
ance plants. The subcommittee COM
Used Senator Hitchcock of Nebraska,
lairman, and Senators Fletcher of Flor
a, Beckham of Kentucky, Weeks of !
massachusetts, and Wsdsworth of New
nrk