New Britain herald., 1918-04-25
DEBATE RESUMED
ON 0VERMAN BILL
Speeches Limited When Senate
Returns to Disputed Measure

washington, April 11.--NoIAilS VIZ
amendments to the Overman Dill,
which would grant authority TO the
president to re-organize government
departments, was in sight today When
the senate resumed debate on the
measure with speeches limited to ~
minutes on amendments ana 81
minutes on the bill itself.
Senator Chamberlain, yesterday, ad-
vocated the amendments to eliminate
the Interstate Commerce Commission
and the Federal Trade Commission
from the scope of the bill. He insists,
as do other senators, that these COM
missions be left apart from any inter-
ference by the president. 1t is re-
garded as probable that these amend
ments will be carried.
In announcing his support of the
measure Senator Chamberlain ex-
planned that in general it embraced
precisely the reforms contemplated in
his director Of munitions and war
cabinet bills. He felt constrained to
back those bills he said, because at
the time they were offered chaos and
inefficiency reigned in government de-
partments. Since then, he said the
administration had vastly improved
duties of Bernard Baruch as chairman
of the war industries board were prac-
tically those of a munitions director.
1.-THE whole idea," he went on, ''is
that we must have somebody with
power to say Yes or NO; somebody
with power to make subordinates
obey. Mr.. Baruch has taken the bit
in his teeth and is organizing indus
trio OF yrit 4o tl10
war. The work of coordination in
this department is going on.
IT believe that the country will
agree with me that nearly every in
competent disclosed by the military
affairs committee has either been
kicked up or kicked out. There has
been complete reorganization of war
activities with the result that dis
tinguished men have been placed in
charge of important undertakings.
Criticism has been made that civilians
have been put in the places of military
men. I say that but for these dis
tinguished civilians the war depart
ment would still be f1oundering in the
dark
Approves Other Appointments.
Senator Chamberlain spoke of the
| appointment of Charles M. Schwab as
/ director of the Emergency Fleet cor
J poration, of Edward r. Stettinius as
| second assistant secretary Of war in
| charge Of purchases, and of Samuel
| McRoberts in the. ordnance depart
| ment
'"These men have cut through a
| great mass of red tape" he said.
''They have attacked the problems in
a businesslike way. 1t is fortunate
that they have not put on uniforms,
| for where there are uniforms there is
| red tape
! Senator Borah, republican of Idaho,
also aligned himself with advocates
| of the Overman BILL insisting that
| congress ought not to assume that
the president would abuse the pow
ers to be given to him.
eve have no right to presume that
the president is going to appoint in
competents to Office said Senator
| Borah. "Our bureaus are duplicating
their work, and we need to restore
order so as to get the most effective
results. 1t is my thought in support
ing this bill that we have transferred
this republic to a bureaucracy Great
powers have been put in the hands of
| men who are not responsible to the
| people by election or appointment.
| Co. ordination is needed, and that is
why I am in favor of this BILL
| Senator Nelson, republican of Min
nesota, also said the president could
be trusted to appoint competent men
to Office and not to abuse the powers
| conferred on him.
| 1--WE trusted him when we passed
the embargo, food, and other acts"
he said, 81 believe we can depend on
him not to abuse the power contem-
| plated in this measure"
1t is expected that the senate will
reach a vote in the bill by tomorrow
| night.