El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1918-01-22
WAR COUNCIL
BILL DOOMED
Presidents Emphatic OPP
position Is Considered
Fatal to Measure.

! Washington. D. C. Jan. 22.-Pros-
poets for the enactment Of legislation
providing for a war cabinet and mu-
nitions administration was dimmed
today as the result Of president Will
! sons unequivocaI denunciation of the
program
Replying to senator Chamberlain
reference in New York saturday to
inaction and Indebtedness in the
government. the president last night
! issued a statement defending the war
preparations Of the administration
and reiterated his faith in the ability
! Of secretary Baker.
The senate military committee to-
day planned TO proceed with the leg
/ islative program despite the presi
dents opposition. but generally it was
felt that the measures were destined
to meet defeat
Replying to the presidents state
ment senator Chamberlain chairman
of the committee, declared his speech
in New York was an extemporaneOus
one and his whole argument directed
at the military establishment, not at
other departments of the govern
ment.
President Attacks Chamberlain
The president referred with evident
displeasure to senator Chamberlain
speech of criticism at New York sat
urday evening and deprecated the in
vestigations made by the senate com
mittee with a view TO speeding up the
war. He defended secretary Bakee
and declared the existing Organ!za-
ton in the war department was salts
factory. He evidenced extreme oppo-
sition 70 the plan to establish mu-
nitions director and a war council
Senator's to Fight for Biz.
At a meeting of the senate military
committee. the senators, Democrats
and Republicans alike, conferred and
legislation. Next Thursday, when the
senate reconvenes. senators Chamber
lain, Hitchcock and Wadsworth today
announced. they Will make a straight
fight on the merits" OF the war ca1i-
net bill. When il comes before the
senate for committee references. they
plan to open wide debate, discussing
the testimony in the committees in
quiry into defects in governmental
machinery.
Deny Presidents Assertion.
Democratic leader Martin and
others supporting the presidents po-
sition are preparing TO oppose refer
ence of the war cabinet bill 70 the
military committee. The president
assertion that he had learned OF the
war reorganization legislation Only
second hand" was fatty contra
dicted by committee members. They
said both senators Chamberlain and
Hitchcock advised the president last 1
week of the proposed legislation and
that the president had written let
ter stating his opposition They
pointed out also thai copy of the I
war cabinet bill was left last Satur- I
day by senator Hitchcock with secre- ]
tary Baker.
OffIeers Nof neIayed.
The presidents statement thar war 4
operations had been delayed by the 4
congressional investigations in call :
ing officials and officers from their /
duties TO appear before committees I
also was disputed by committee mem I
bers, who pointed out that when Mai. !
Gems Crozier and Sharp testified be-
fore the military committee they had 4
been relieved OF their duties. (
A caucus Of house leaders is planned 4
for tonight, endorsing war reor-
ganization legislation. Republican
senator's said they might caucus soon
on the subject.
President Wilson's denunciation OF
senator Chamberlain's attack on the
war department and his openly ex-
pressed approval of secretary Baker
had the effect today of apparently /
solidifying sentiment among senate
Democrats who support the bill for
a war cabinet despite the presidents
opposition
Some of them met announcement
Of president Wilson's determination
to oppose the bill to a finish with
declaration of purpose to support II
10 a finish, despite the fact that they
may not gather strength enough to
compel congress to accept Il over the
presidents disapproTaL