The Washington herald., 1918-01-24
FIGHT ON WAR
CABINET COMES
UP IN SENATE
Senator Chamberlain Will
Reply to Wilson In
Opening Battle.

1hc OlB uElNc On lne "oA Sdblheh
will begin today.
Administration forces were mass
ed and prepared last night TO meet
the attack. They were radiantly
confident that the bill would never
go past their trenches. In fact.
they said it was a question IL it
ever reached a vote.
Parliamentary procedure will be
the big, long-distance gun Of the
administration Democrats. They
say they have it loaded. too.
Senator Chamberlain. of Oregon,
chairman OF the Senate Military AZ
fairs Committee. and one of the au-
thors of the bill will reply to the
attack made upon him by President
Wilson. He will speak as soon as
the Senate has convened. He will
use personal privilege as the ground
for rising.
The oregon Senator who is known
as a hard fighter. takes the position.
SO his friends say. that mo one can
call him a liar and get away with
1t" In answer to the Presidents
charge that he had ''unjustifiably dts
tcrted the truth" Senator Chamber
lain will present facts developed dur
ing the investigation by his committee.
ChamberIsin InsIstent.
Administration Senators sought to-
day to prevent the reply to the Presi-
dent. Senator Simmons. of North Car
olina, was closeted for some time with
Senator Chamberlain, endeavoring TO
dissuade him. But the Oregon Senator
feels that he must not allow his mo-
tives to be impugned.
"Besides.- he said today. 'I feel
that we must have a reorganization
of conditions in the War Depart
ment IL We are TO win the MAR. And
the American people are in this war
to win it."
The preliminary battle plan
is to allow Senator Chamber
lain to refer his bill to his COM
mittee, and then to have It reported
out.
Another parliamentary move the
Democrats contemplate in case they
are driven to the wall by the intro
duction Of the bill is to vote to lay
it on the table.
Democratic plans were laid yes
terday in an informal conference
between Senator Martin, the floor
leader; Senators King. Simmons.
Shields and Representative Flood,
chairman of the Foreign Affairs
Committee of the House. It is un-
derstood that so much confidence
was felt, that any idea that the
President would go personally be-
fore Congress or would have to use
his veto power was scoffed at.
Republicans did not display as much
combined enthusiasm over the bill
as had been expected. One OF the
most prominent men on the left side
OF the chamber said:
Whats the use? Why should We
have another body il We are to have
the same sort of men now in power
full places? Who do we We know the
President will ask the Senate TO in
dorse?
To Force Reference.
From the standpoint of parliament
tary strategy. however, the admins
tration forces profess to have the ad-
vantage. They will probably permit
the bill to go to Senator Chamber
lain's committee Military Affairs, but
force it's subsequent reference to
Naval Affairs, which is friendly to
the President.
President Wilson's friends Concen-
trated their efforts yesterday on max
ing il appear that the contest was
largely partisan in character. Demo-
Gratis were urged by administration
leaders in Congress to stand firm on
the ground that Republicans had got
behind the war cabinet measure as
a means of discrediting the Presi-
dents conduct of the war.
The President conferred with SEN
ators Pomerene, of Ohio and owen,
Of Oklahoma. but it was declared that
the Wilson-Chamberlain row was not
the object of discussion.
Col Roosevelt, whose influence since
his arrival here has been thrown ac-
lively behind Senator Chamberlain.
spent the day at the Longworth resi-
dence. receiving Congressional callers
and others.
Rumors were afioat in Washing
ton last night that the President
may issue another statement de-
tending his position. 1t was even
suggested in some quarters that he
might go to the Capitol today and
suggest such other changes in the
Organization of the war machinery
as would take the wind out of the
war cabinet fight without, at the
same time. departing from the ideas
of control which the administration
follows. Neither of these reports
could be confirmed in quarters close
to the President.
The Chief Executive conferred for
some time last night with Secretary
of War Baker, but the latter de-
MED on leaving that the confer
ence had anything to do with the