New-York tribune., 1918-05-16

sHOW tne WOrIO. WneTe COuSicsS TX
longs. He likes to strike anything
that wears The appearance of legisla-
tive independence or self assertion III
the most public manner. for one rea-
son he is temperamentally averse to
Congress and it's ways. For another
he wants his voice to carry around the
world when he speaks and for this
reason he brooks no rival for public
attention. There is something to be
said for shat consideration,
The Senate Military Affairs Commit
tee invited just such a letter as the
President wrote It's resolution was
loosely drawn. 1t did not mean what
t said When it was introduced all
newspaper correspondents here re
marked that it opened the way for the
Military Affairs Committee to become
a committee on the conduct of the war.
Now, there is little doubt that the
country does not want Congress to
divide the control of wal operations
with the President. rs Congress in the
Civil War divide authority with Presi
dent Lincoln, AT which time all gen
erals in the army sending reports to
the President or to Secretary Stanton,
had TO send copies OF them to the
Congressional Committee on the Con-
duct Of the War
Mr Wilson. who has never become
quite reconciled to the Chamberlain
Investigations and who has never for
given Mr.. Chamberlain and Mr. Hitch
cock for their speeches summarizing
the faults of the War Department, saw
his opportunity to discredt the in
vestigators by suggesting to the pub
lie that they were reaching out for
power to interfere in running the war.
The committee laid itself open to at
tack by its loose language, just as 1T
has in the past by similar inexactness.
The President made his attack. He
succeeds thereby in planting doubt
in the popular mind about the services
of the committee in the past and
about its disnterestedness in the
future. His severe letter was tactics,
that was all. 1t was local counter
offensive for the purpose of straight
ening out the Administrations lines
where some of the Investigations had
salient
The letter left the advantage with
the President He had to an extent
discredited the committee. He had
endangered future Investigations by
making funds and the employments Of
investigators to go to aircraft and gun
factories doubtful. To vote for the
resolution was to vote for something
that was open to suspicion as an effort
to divide the control Of the war, even
the control of armies in the field. The
Military Affairs Committee had no in
tention to push its prerogative in that
direction, but unfortunately it had not
said so.
The next move is the Senate's. There
is such thing as OVERRIDING a dis
avowa!. of conveying thereby sugges-
tion of weakness in the person who
has asked for one. If the amended
Chamberlain resolution should pass as
1T stands the historian who would read
it would say, "Ah, at this moment evi-
IDENTIFY President Wilson came near
having the control of the war taken
out of his hands" Mr.. Wilson is a
historian. Probably he won't want to
see the Senate's pledge Of moderation
dents ostensible objection to the reso-
luton is elaborately removed. Now, if
the Presidents forces continue to op-
pose it, it will be said that the real
objection of the White House lies to
any investigation at all.
1t is not known whether the Presi-
dent will oppose the amended resou-
ton, though its language will surely
be changed on the floor The votes of
Jones and Thompson prove nothing.
They voted in the negative to be on
the safe side till they could consult the
White House. The vote, if there is a
fight, probably will be close 1t will
not take place. in case of fight, for
several days, for the subcommittee of
the Military Affairs Committee, of
which Senator Hitchcock is chairman
is visiting Midvale, Bethlehem and the
other steel plants making guns. accom-
panied by Mr.. Stettinius The sup.
porters of the resolution need the
votes of the members of the sub
committee
Chamberlain Explains Resolution
Senator Chamberlain issued state
ment to-day to the effect that it wa
not the intention of the Senate Mill
tary Affairs Committee in INTRODUCING
its resolution to interfere in any wa,
with the conduct of the war. His state
ment follows:
tary Affairs Committee, or any membe
of it, when Senate Resolution 241 wa:
prepared and introduced, to interfere
in the least with the constitutions
powers and prerogatives of the Pres
dent in the conduct and management
of the war. Charges and countc,
charges have been made from time t.
time IN reference to the loyalty tn,
efficiency and the methods Of some o
those who have had immediate charg
of aircraft production. Notwithstand Id
ing the fact that report on this sub
Ject has been presented to the Senat
by the Military Affairs committee thes
charges will not down. AS matter o
fact they have increased in frequenc,
since that report was filed, and by the
fact that other reports along the sam,
lines have been made upon this same
subject. The integrity of men directl,
connected with the production of air
craft has been called in question Te
avoid seeming injustice I want to say
that no charges have been made re
fiecting upon either General Squier o
Admiral Taylor, of the Aircraft Pro
duction Board, but some of those re
sponsible for aircraft production fo
the army have been charged with gros.
extravaganza and there is little if any
thing to show as far as production i.
concerned for the immense sums O.
money that have been spent in the pro
duction of aircraft
Wanted to Get Facts
Charges and counter charges hav
been made with reference to the manu-
facture of ordnance. Delays have bee,
suggested which might have bee,
! cured; and it has been charged, toe