The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1918-12-11
sTHE GOVERNMENT AT WASHINGTON
STILL LIVESw

STILL LIVESv'
! Well. the president is on the deep blue sea
he's outside of American territorial jurisdiction
and, incidentally, within the jurisdiction OF good
old Sea Sickness.
Now. what are the chatterers and chafferers
against this presidential absence going to do
about it? We don't think they have the CUTS to
do anything about it.
But while they're thinking over the thing, the
rest of us can look up the cold facts this ques-
ton of busted precedents-the departure of a
president for foreign parts.
The federal constitution nowhere for bids Mr..
Wilson to leave American soil during his term OF
office.
Article 2, Section 2, of that document says the
president "shall have power by and with the adj
vice and consent of the Senate to make treaties,
provided two-thirds of the senators present con-
cur"
1t doesn't say whether he shall make treaties
in Washington, Paris or Pekin.
Article 2, Section /, of the federal constitution
says that in of the presidents Inability to
discharge the powers of his Office the office shall
devolve on the vice president.
The president is, under the constitution, COM
mander-in-chief of the army, navy and militia
of the United States.
How could he act in these capacities and re-
main in Washington while the navy was in the
North Sea and the army in France, Belgium,
Italy and Siberia?
By cable and by wireless, of course!
How can he discharge the powers and duties
of said Office of president of these United States
while the deck of the ship George Washing
ton or on French or British soil?
By cable and by wireless of course!
When the constitution made there were
no cables, wireless telegraphs, telephones,
steam relectric railroads or airplanes to bridge
distances in minutes and seconds
The constitution was made in stage-coach days
and some Americans are still interpreting and
thinking of it in stage-coach terms.
President Wilson while abroad can transact
the business and duties of his office as easily as
Brown or Jones of New York can keep their
fingers on their business in Boston or Washing
ton between meals.
While President Wilson is abroad for the de-
finite purpose of seeing that erroneous inter-
probation is placed by the peace conferences on
his utterances on the great issues to be decided
In the Versailles conference.-the league of ma
lions, the self-determination of peoples, the de-
struction of militarism and other vital questions
it is well to remember the explicit language of
Article q Section 2 of the federal constitution
quoted above. President Wilson isn't able to
bind this nation to anything not accepted by
two-thirds majority vote of the United States
Senate.
If any untoward thing should happen to Wood
row-and all Americans pray for his safety all
the way going dcoming-we will do well to re-
member the truth embalmed in the solemn ut
terance of General James Abram Garfield to the
throng in New York when the news of the loss
of Abraham Lincoln was broken to them:
Norhyo T.
ton still livesp
This is government of laws and principles
not of men only. It is safe whether the presi-
dent is in Washington or in Paris or Joined to
"the silent majority
KEEP UP WITH SANTA CLAUS!
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