The Lexington progress. (Lexington, Tenn.) 1884-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 i 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 few days rest
from heckling the secretary of war and
realizing that their futile fiutterngs 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-
ton
" Protests may be heard, investigation
made and information presented
Or, as stated in the other resolution
p" Until thorough investigation shall
be made for the necessity of the pro-
posed action
so the senate wanted to investigate
and debate, when 1T was manifest that
people were freezing and the channels of
commerce choked.
After haggling and debating, and by
its attitude delaying preparation for
adopted the first resolution. The senior
senator voted for 1t.
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
y out conceding that the president
| and his advisers, sworn to execute
| the law, might have information of
conditions known to them, but which
1T 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-
|
because the order was in effect
| his executive act
80 National Fuel Administrators
| Garfield was, according to press dis
patches, hailed before 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
| NJ nf inc ft, &1xy
| and providing coal for domestic con-
sumers as to relieve q serious con-
gestion in traffic, but also 20 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.
"Nagging senate committees had al
ready succeeded In disclosing to thu
enemy whatever OF weakness or lacl
there may be in our war preparations
They compelled the disclosure tina
transports were unable to sail for lack o
coal, and now If they should 60 but {
step further and compel publication as Il
which Of those transports are intended
to carry our troops to France, or foot
and comforts to our boys already there
ana then compel the secretary Of tn,
navy or the heads OF the admiralty boart
J to disclose when such transports will
, sail, they will have succeeded In givinl
all the information necessary to tn
ruthless enemy to enable him to make hi
submarines most effective.
but his vote for the senate resolu
! tion above referred to. and the conse
quent aid in disclosing to the world tn
desperate condition and vital needs o
our transports. are not the only acts o
the senator in relation to this act o
the nresident now approyet by the vas
majority of patriotic citizens of thi
country.
ION the nth day Of January, 1918, tn
Knox county fuel administrator, Hor
John w. Green, wired the senator ask
ing TO be advised prinipally as to wheth
or factories run by hydro-electricit,