Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1918-04-30
SENATE VOTES TO
I. EMPOWER WILSON
PASSES ovERMAN BILL az VOTE
OF So TO 10, AFTER BITTER
FIGHT.
cuMMINs AMENDMENT
Is NOT ACCEPTABLE
Iowa Senator Sought to Prevent Presi-
Dental interference With Authority
Of Interstate Commerce Commission
All Democrats Support Bill Except
Reed-Opponents Of Measure Hold
IL 'is Unconstitutional.


amendments designed to limit the
presidents authority, the senate late
Monday passed the Overman bill with
Its general grant OF power for the
president to coordinate and reorgan-
ize government departments and other
agencies during the war.
An amendment by Senator Cummins
of Iowa republican. to prevent the
president from interfering with juris-
diction OF the interstate commerce
commission over rates and physical
valuation of railroads, was defeated,
43 to 81
The vote on the measure which now
goes to the house, was So to 10, many
senator's who opposed the administra-
ton In the long fight over proposed
amendments joining the majority
when the test came on final passage.
Only one democrat. Senator Reed Of
Missouri voted against the bill. Re-
publicans who voted against 1t were
Brandegee Cummins. Dillingham;,
France, Gallinger, Harding, Johnson of
California Knox. Poindexter, Sher-
man, Sterling and Sutherland
Claim Bill Unconstitutional.
Nearly all of the twenty-five repub-
licans voting to pass the bill, before
the hnal roll call, supported amend
ments to circumscribe the presidents
power, generally to war functions.
Those who continued their opposition
10 tti1a nnI:s. siave BASED their attitude
on the argument that the bill confers
unnecessary autocratic powers on the
president and is unconstitutional.
Administration leaders championed
the measure consistently and would
not agree to any amendments limiting
the presidents authority. During the
long fight some democrats thought
concessions would have to be made.
They found, however, that the presi-
without substantial change from the
form in which he sent it to Senator
Overman, OF North Carolina. last Feb
ruary, after the senate military COM
mittee virtually had decided to recon-
mend legislation for a war cabinet and
munitions director as the result Of IFS
war inquiry.
The only amendments added in the
senate were accepted by Senator
Overman, in charge Of the bill. One
by Senator Wadsworth, Of New York.
republican, would authorize the presi-
dent to centralize authority over the
aviation program in one executive Of
ficer and another by Senator Jones,
republican, of Washington, limits the
effect OF reorganizations made under
the bill to six months instead Of one
year after the war.
May Transfer Functions.
AS passed by the senate, the mea-
sure authorizes the president to make
such redistribution Of functions among
executive heads as he may deem
necessary" and to utilize, coordinate
and consolidate any executive or ad-
commissions. bureaus,
agencies, offices or officers now exist
ing by law, to transfer any duties or
powers from one existing department
or to transfer the personnel Thereof"
These powers. however. shall be exer-
cised only In matters relating to the
present war;
The measure also provides that II
the president believes any agency
should be abolished he shall report to
congress, and congress will arrange
for transfer Of appropriations in any
reorganization limiting their expendi-
ture to the purposes specified by con-
gress.
Renew Fight in House.
Early consideration Of the bill in the
house is planned by ADMINISTRATION
leaders. Attic the demand for limita-
ton of the presidents authority is ex-
pected to be renewed in the lower
body of congress, ultimate enactment
OF the measure substantially as II
passed the senate Is expected.
In the final onslaught against the
legislation in the senate all amend
ments opposed by the administration
leaders were rejected. An amendment
by Senator Harding, republican, OF
Ohio, proposing to limit the bills
authority to war functions. was re-
tected 43 to 80. Senator Cummins OF
Iowa, republican, made final effort to
except the Interstate commissions
alternating and railroad physical
valuation authority from executive
action. but his amendment was voted
down 40 to Al. An amendment by
Senator Sterling, republican. OF South
Dakota proposing to limit the bill to
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