The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1918-04-30
OVERMAN MEASURE
PASSES THE SENATE
All Opponents Bat One OF Bill Giving
President Administrative Power
Arc Republicans
VOTE is 63 TO IS
Few Fighters Debate Against Pas
sage but They Arc Overwhelmed.
Senator Harding Amendment is
Stricken Out

yvashin gton. April 3e.-The Over
man bill was passed by the senate to-
night by the vote Of So to Is All
OF the opponents but ONE. Reed Of
Missouri. were Republicans.
The vote follows:
Ayea-Ashurst. Bankhead, Bcck-
ham. Chamberlain. Culberso
Fletcher. Gerry. Guion. Hardwick,
Henderson IN. M) King. Kirby
Lewis, Mcclellan, Martin, Myers, MI
gent, Overman. Phelan. Pittmnn,
Pomerene. Salisbury. Shafroth. Shep-
pard. Shields, Simmons, Smith tAriz-
ona1 Smith fGeorria1; Smith CMd.};
Smith IS. CO; Swanson. Thomas
Thoup son. TilIman. Trammel, I'm
dsrwood, Vardaman, Walsh, Williams
wolcott Democrats; Baird. Borah
Colt. Curtis, Fall. FreHnghuysen
Hale. Jones fwashin ston); kellogg
Lenroot McCunber Mclean. Nc
Nary. Nelson New Norris Page.
Smoot, Townsend, Warren. watson,
Weeks, Republicans. Total Sc,
Noes-Brandeg Cummins. Dill
tngham. Franco, GallinEcr. Harding
Johnson tCalifornia1; Knox. Pondex-
ter, Sherman. Sterling, Sutherland,
Republicans. Reed, Democrat. Total
ia
Senator Harding IN, speaking for
his amendment aroused the ire 0t
Senator OwerT1an by saving that the
purpose of the bill is ito cover up
mistakes made by responsible officials
since we got into the war" Senator
Overman challenged this statement.
calling upon Senator Harding TO
name any instance OF graft or mis-
deaiing. Senator Harding corrected
his statement by saying he meant the
bill would enable the president 10
transfer functions from ofFiciais who
had fallen down" whereas the sim
pier remedy would have been to dis
miss them from Office.
Senator Harding digreSsed to re
peat g. m essage he said the head OF
an important government department
had sent to him in response TO an
inquiry in the matter Of the housing
appropriation. The massage was. &C
cordinE 10 Senator Harding. to the ef-
feet that this OFFICIAL hopes he would
not hear OF the matter again
Refers tn labor Department.
Senator Ovcrran demanded The
name OF the official In question and
Senator Harding replied that it was
Mr.. Eidlitz. who is in charge OF the
housing program or the department
of labor. He characterized the ac-
ton of the or7cial as insulting to a
member OF the senate.
In reply to Senator Harding ar
argument was presented by Senator
Borah TO the charge that passage ot
the bill would mean the delegation
Of congressional powers to the presi
dent. Senator Borah cited the Ia riff
law of six years ago, which gave the
president authority 70 suspend tbs
operation Of the law against any
country which imposed unfair rates
uron imports from this country The
supreme court held he said that thi,
transfer of legish tive power was no.
unconstitutional. and he argued that
, there was nothing in the Oyermar
bill which would be in contraventior
OF the constitution.
Senator Overman challenged any
one to point to any powers of congress
which wouId be ahrogated bv tbs
passage OF the bill, This caused Sen.
ator Brandegee TO rise hastily and
excfain:
TIL ten Won what they are
Name them" said Overman.
AN Of them" wss Brandegee't
| answer. but it does not make any
difference" he added, because tn,
supreme court can stop IT.
Senator Tardaman supported th'
amendment to exclude the interstat,
commerce commission from the opera
ton of the measure. He said tina
the president, despite his grea
learning, is not capable of gra spins
all the multiplicity of problems aris
ing out of this country's participa
ton in the war"