The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1918-02-12


everywhere. Even the Austrian En-
pire that runs riot had sense enough
to do away with the Aulic War
Council. If the Senator wants, he
can find that of all the assess that
ever existed the worst was the typi-
cal council of assess that came very
near running Lincoln and Grant in
the civil war. The Senator could 60
little further back and find that
the continental Congress came very
near running George Washington
with a committee on the conduct of
the war. If there is anything that
any man ought to know who has any
sense at all, it is that Congress or a
committee cannot furnish the brains
to anybody else to carry war on.
"Here is this stupid bill, a stupid
thing demanding three distinguished
men of demonstrated ability to be
appointed by the President to carry
on the war. Distinguished by
whom? Ability demonstrated by
whom? After you are through with
it as the Senator has confessed, it
has to go back OF the President to
distinguish these men and their
ability. And here is the President
already not only armed with a duty,
but charged with the responsibility
of distinguishing men and of recog-
nizing demonstrated ability .
eff the President is fool, how
are you going to give him brains by
an act of Congress? If the Presi-
dent is not fool, what is the need
of your legislation? Just say what
'it' is. Are you trying to embarrass
him? Is that 1t! ~. -" ..
"The Senator quoted from some
body in the Bible, Thou are not able
to hold up thy hands by thyself
alone and they shall hold his hands,
one on the one side and the other
ION the other Who is going to hold
up the hands of the President? Is
it TO be the Senator from Nebraska
and the Senator from Pennsylvania
(Mr. Penrose) who will do it?
"The President has already sell
ected, in. his opinion, Secretary of
the Navy, a Secretary of War, a
Secretary of State, who are three
distinguished gentlemen of demon
strated ability You ere talking
about the need Of business ability
in connection with this war. I ven
ture to say right now, you cannot
name three men that you would
dare offer to take these places"
A CoIloquy Over COORDINATION
'T shall not undertake to do it,
anyhow" volunteered Senator Hitch
cock. T never expect to be elected
President Of the United States, and
until I am I certainly would not un-
dertake to do it,"
Senator Hitchcock went on to say
that what he sought YVES to estab-
lish coordination of The depart
ments. s -.. -
81 am here to say" he went on,
'that the President does not and
cannot, on account of the limitation
of the human system, coordinate
them" +
Senator Williams wanted to know
how it would be possible for the
President to select fit men for War
Cabinet if he was mot able to pick
them from his present Cabinet.
"The trouble is the chain lacks the
link. 1t is not together. I want to
bring the chain together" insisted
Mr.. Hitchcock. "You have not only
two pieces of chain, you have doz7
en-"
"And a chain is only so strong
as the weakest link in it," replied
Mr.. Williams. ~ do not want to add
another link to the chain. The Sem
ator is not proposing to take off any
links"
Senator Williams insisted that the
President with his present powers
,o;,b+ onno;nt onu man he wanted