Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-04-25
CHAMBERLAIN NOW
FAYORS OVERMAN BILL
Administration Critic Backs
Measure Giving Vast Pow
crs to President
MOT AFRAID" HE SAYS
Converted Senator Is Confident Will
son Will Not Abuse
Authority
Washington, April IS.


Senator Chamberlain, chairman Of
the Senate Military Affairs Committee
and principal critic Of the Adminstra-
tons war preparations. surprised tho
Senate by declaring himself in IA
vor Of the Overmau bill. giving tho
President vast powers Of governmental
reorganization, which was sent to Con-
gress from tho white House to check
mate Mr. Chambcrlain's war cabinet and
director Of munitions bills.
At wide variance with tho Senators
who have bitterly fought tho Overman
bill. Mr.. Chamberlain, in short speech.
said the President should have all :hc
power necessary 10 win the war and
should bc freed from the rcd tape that
binds his hands.
81 am not afraid" hc said, "the
President will abuse tho power which
this hill will give him. l shall vote for
this bill"
Senator Chamberlaiu's conversion 10
the Overmau measure is regarded "a
weakening the opposition to It, and the
impression Is the bill has a much better
chance Of passage than had been credited
To IL generally. Two Republicans Sen
ators Nelson and Borah, addressed the
Senate in its favor today, as did Sen
ator Wolcott.
chamberlain Explains stand
Senator Chamberlain said in part:
81 once had the tcmcrity to criticize
the Administration for inoflciency OF
some Of the departments in the conduct
of the war. Well 7 am more than ever
convinced there has been ineitciency.
And the Senator from North Carolina
himself during debate on this hiIl mas
urged Il was necessary because OF tneti-
cheney i'm the administration of some OF
the departments.
81 am not afraid OF the l'res'dent
abusing his power. | shall vote Tor tnls
bIu TO give him these great powers
possibly voting to exempt the lnterSIa,T
commerce Commission and the fcuera'
Reserve Board. ,
"T an, stiu convinced the bill for the
diractor of munitions and war cabinet
,rouId have entirely served the purpose
Tho director or munitions bill was
evolved by the Military Affairs commit
tee after - great deal Of investigation
Great Britain had TO come to7ihc miN5-
try Of munitions,
ALREADY there is in existence uouy
of mon who virtually constitute the ul-
rectorate OF munitions ON March ,,
1918. BERNARD NJ. Baruch was apnoihtcn
chairman of the war industries board
His duties virtually are those OF muhl-
tions director.
"Incompetents Kicked Up or Out"
"The whole idea is that VIC must have
sorebodv with power to say yes or no
son,ebodv with power to make suhordi-
nates obey. Mr.. BaruCh has taken the
hit in his teeth and Is organizing INDUS
trial life as it relates to the war. The
work of the coordination in this de-
partment Is going on.
"I helieve the country will agree with
mo that nearly every incompetent who
was disclosed by the Military AhalrS
/ Committee has either been kicked up or
| kicked out.
"There has been COmpete rcorganl-
zation of war activities, with the result
distinguished men have been placed III
charge of important undertakings. Critl-
cism has been made that civilians were
nut i'm the places Of military men. J
( saw that but for these distinguished
civilians the War Department would
still be founderng in the dark. This Is
not only war of guns and bullets; this
/ Is a war of Industrial life of this country
and its Allies"
Schwab Cuts Red Tape
Mr.. Chamberlain spoke OF the appoint
/ ment of Charles NJ. Schwab as director
general Of the Emergency Fleet Corpora
ton and of Edward Il. Stettinlus, Second
Assistant Secretary Of War, in charge OF
/ purchases, and OF Samuel Mclsoberts in
I the Ordnance Department
These men have cut through great
mass of red tape" he said They have
attacked the problems in business-lihe
way. 1t is fortunate they have not put
on uniforms, for where there are uni
/ forms there is red tape
Voting on amendments will begin to-
day with the fight centcred on that
eXemptng the Interstate CommercC
Commission. The rule under which thu
Senate is working limits each Senator
10 speeches OF half an hour on the bill
itself. and twenty minutes on eaci
amendment, and Senator Overman eN
pressed the hope OF reaching final vot'
by Saturday.