The Fayette falcon. (Somerville, Tenn.) 190?-current, 1918-02-15
Further Interference with Duties
and Powers of President

Just how far the senior senator is
standing by the president may be fur
ther judged by his action in relation to
the recent executive order designed to
conserve the supply and regulate the dis
tribution OF fuel coal. l refer to the
order recently issued by the National
Fuel Administrator Garfield, approved by
the president and authorized under an
act of congress, designed. as shown by
its title
ITO provide further for the national
security and defense by encouraging the
production, conserving the supply and
controlling the distribution of food
products and fuel
when notice was given that such an
order would be issued, certain fault find
ers in the senate, after a few days rest
from heckling the secretary of war; and
realizing that their futile flutterngs were
understood and resented by the great
body of patriotic citizens, protested
and cried aloud in the name of business
that the country would be ruined by this
executive order designed to carry into
effect the true intent and spirit of the
very law enacted to meet just such
emergent conditions as confronted the
country.
"Thereupon two resolutions were Of
fered in the senate requesting but in
effect demanding that the order be sus-
pended so that, as stated in one resolu-
Protests may be heard, investigation
made and information presented
Or as stated in the other resolution
Until a thorough investigation shall
be made for the necessity of the pro-
posed action
$50 the senate wanted to investigate
and debate, when IT was manifest that
people were freezing and the channels Of
commerce choked.
After haggling and debating, and by
| its attitude delaying preparation for
compliance with the order, the senate
adopted the first resolution. The senior
senator voted for II.
what lawyer ever dreamed that
| the execution of an act of congress
could be suspended by a resolution?
Full power to meet the emergency
had been solemnly conferred on the
president But the faultfinders, with
out eonceding that the president
and his advisers, sworn TO execute
the law, might have information of
conditions known to them, but which
/ ii might be unwise to disclose to the
world and TO the enemy, insisted on
debating and investigating, thus
sowing broadcast seeds of discomfort
and inflaming here and there pas
sions of self interest, by creating
doubts as to the wisdom or 'neces-
sity of the action of the president
because the order was in effect
his executive act.
so National Fuel Administrator
! GARFIELD was, according to press dis
patches hailed before a subcommit-
tee of the senate and there forced to
disclose that the order suspending
the operation of such Industrial
plants as were least essential to war
preparation was not only for the
purpose of conserving the supply
/ ~ IT, - g. n
/ sumers as to relieve a serious con-
gestion in traffic, but also to secure
coal for transports lying idle in our
| Atlantic ports and unable for lack
of coal to carry needed war mate
rails and food and other supplies to
our boys and allies across the sea.
HNagging senate committees had al
ready succeeded in disclosing to ths
enemy whatever OF weakness or laci
They compelled the disclosure that
transports were unable TO sail for lack Of
coal, ana now II they should go but q
step further and compel publication as q
which Of those transports are intended
TO carry our troops to France, or food
and comforts TO our boys already there
and then compel the secretary Of the
navy or the heads OF the admiralty board
! to disclose when such transports viii
sail, they VIII have succeeded in giving
ali the information necessary 20 the
ruthless enemy TO enable him 20 make his
submarines most effective.
But his vote for the senate resolu.
ton above referred 70. and the couse-
qusnt aid in disclosing 70 the world the
desperate condition and vital needs OF
our transports. are not the only acts OF
/ the senator In relation to this act Of
the president now approved by the vast
majority Of patriotic citizens Of this
country.
son tia l7tA dAy Of January, 1918. thI
Knox county fuai administrator, Hen
John W. Green. wired ths senator ask.
Ing 70 be advised principally - 70 wheth'
Ter factories run ~ hy4ro-slectsicafy