Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1918-02-25
WOULD CREATE WAR CABINET
WITHOUT DERIVING PREsl.
DENT OF POWER.
WOULD ADD THREE NEW
DEPARTMENTS TO CABINET
Proposal Less Extreme Than That Of
Senator Chamberlain, Whose Bill
For Reorganization Of War Machin:
cry 10 Believed Unconstitutional by
Townsr-Would Welcome Change.
by p. G. Dougherty.]


Washington, Feb. 25.-Congressman
Towner has made a proposal for new
war cabinet that will meet the de-
mands in congress for reorganization
of the war administration machinery,
without going to the extreme Of the
Chamberlain war cabinet bill, which
as it attempts to relieve the president
of powers given him by the constitu-
ton.
Mr.. Towner would add three new de-
partments to the presidents cabinet
for the period Of the war. They are:
A department of war supplies, which
would take Jurisdiction over the food
administration, the fuel administration,
the war trade board, the committee on
supplies, the committee on raw ma
terials and all so-called purchasing
committees of the council of national
defense.
department Of transportation. un-
der which ould be placed the inter-
state commerce commission, the ship
ping board, the committee on ship
the board to determine priority in
transport alton and the co-ordinating
committee Oh expectation.
A department of munitions, which
should be given jurisdiction now ex-
ercised by the war Industries board,
the munitions standards board. the
aircraft board and the advisory COM
mittee on aeronautics.
Board of Five Members.
with the organization of the new
departments for war service the war
cabinet so earnestly desired may be
secured" Mr.. Towner said in house
speech. with the president at its
head, It would consist Of the secretary
Of war, the secretary Of the nevy, the
secretary Of transportation, the secre-
tary of munitions and the secretary
Of war supplies. With the absorption
by the new departments Of the present
independent boards practically all the
war activities would be represented in
such a war cabinet. Meeting daily, as
do the European war cabinets. all the
work essential to progress could be
considered and correlated. Unity Of
action, speed in Accomplishment, and
be made possible.
CONGRESSMAN Towner said there was
immediate need Of abandonment by
the departments Of red tape. circumlo-
oution and unnecessary routine.
The Kaleidoscope changes that are
almost daily bulletined from the war
department arc none Of them calcu-
lated to cure these evils" Mr.. Towner
insisted. He believed there should be
steps taken to relieve the war depart
ment of its purchasing business.
Officers Would Welcome Change.
1T would seem," said MT. Towner,
that the officers who compose the
personnel Of the department would be
glad to be relieved of the embarrass-
ing duties for which they are 50 lily
fitted and in the performance OF which
no credit can attach to them IT
would appear that being educated for
the purpose they would desire to de-
vote their attention to purely military
problems and be relieved from business
routine and office drudgery. 1t might
be expected that their desire would be
for active service in the field where
their qualifications At them to serve
with distinction and where now they
are so much needed. When the remand
for officers educated to train troops
for service and to command troops
in the field is so great and the supply
Is so small it is difficult to JUSTIFY
holding West Point graduates to posi-
lions as office clerks, In the perform.
ance Of purely business transactions"