The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1918-02-05

tue OF ATTACK. There could have
Deen nothing ADLER from Mr.. Hitch
cocks standpoint. But when he
closed, the attack on the Administra-
tlon, with outside control demand
ed to redeem it from collapse Tor
tSlling DOWN., was a fat and final
failure.
The standpoint Of "thick and thin"
supporters of President Wilson was
represented by John Sharp Williams,
OF Mississippi, who ridiculed the at
tack at all points. He wished to
know the constituency" represented
by the dissatisfied. "Who are your
constituents, and what do they want
army contracts?" he asked. As
for other varieties of dissatisfaction
with the conduct of the war, he was
familiar with dissatisfaction of the
same kind in history between the
times Of Stonewall jackson and
Julius Caesar. He recalled how Rob
, ert E. Lee had been harassed into
rendering his resignation to Jeffer-
son Davis by the stupidity Of the
Confederate Congress. Incidentally,
he referred to government b. compul-
sion in America as temporary
against Prussian tyranny, thus de-
fning his attitude as different from
that of those Democrats" who think
the efficiency" of Prussian tyranny
a sufficient reason for Prussianizing
the United States permanently.
Senator Williams was more en-
joyed by his hearers than any one
else. but it is perhaps true that the
defeat of the attack as a finality,
came from Reed of Missouri. q mem
Der Of the Military Affairs Committee
whom some had classed as lin
doubt" He attacked with dry and
biting force. He had the advantage
of not being suspected of partisan
ship to persons. He defended the
theory and practice Of popular gov
eminent. He asserted the duty of
exposing corruption in the admins
tration OF the affairs OF the
people. He refused to condone
it when exposed. He refused also
to apologize for failures Of the
past, but treated them as in
cidents of power in the people TO
unity and coordinate" themselves,
through failures and in spite Of them.
until they reach their own ends Of
magnificent success.
In dealing with the war cabinet
bill. he read its provisions for con-
trolling the war powers Of the Ad-
ministration in pagallelism with the
clause OF the Constitution vesting
these powers In the President and
making him responsible for their
use-an attack which of itself might
have been sufficient to defeat the
war cabinet bill, If its defeat had not
already been taken for granted, as
a result Of the Presidents opposition
and the certainty that if passed it
would fail against veto.
At the close OF the debate nothing
was left in doubt except the ultimate
fate of Secretary Of War Baker. He
is expected to appear today before
the Committee on Military Affairs.
It is said that he will be questioned
on his recent statement and "subse-
ouent Developments These include
the contracts with the Engel Aero
plane Company. OF Niles, Ohio, H.
d. Baker, president, which the Sec
rotary Of War caused to be Cancelled.
Senator Simmons, in the Senate,
and Mr.. Kitchin in the House, in
troduced the Treasury bill for a new
FINANCE Corporation" capitalized
by half 4 billion from the Treasury,
to be used under the control Of the
Secretary of the Treasury and a
board of four others, to relieve
banks and control all important in
dustries of the United States. As
already outlined the bill authorizes
the issue of interest-bearinS notes
for not over eight times its capital.
In introducing the bill, Mr..
Kitchin declared his sympathy with
its purpose in the main, but dis
claimed responsibility for its form
and said it would require careful
study with a view to its possible
amendment.
Perhaps a more remarkably com
prehensive measure of radical finan-
cisl and political change was never
introduced Rs an Administration
measure in any parliamentary body
certainly not in the American Con-
sress. Under it, most "one-horse
LAWYERS" would not need to be told
what part of the Government of the
United States really does the gov
erning.
The Senate railroad bill was re-
introduced for the Interstate Com
merce Committee, by Mr.. Smith of
South Carolina. The House COM
mittee continued at work on its bill. |
Both, however, now agree in the