Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-05-17
Wilson Opposes
All War Probes

Continued from Page One
in New York, said that the investiga.
tors had delayed the work of making
ready for war, using up the valuable
time Of War Department executives
by calling them to the witness stand.
The exact language ne used was
this:
Investigations which drew indis-
penSable officials constantly away
from their work and officers from
their commands and contributed a
great deal to such delay and confusion
as had inevitably arisen"
That letter represents the real atti-
tude of the President. He resents in
veStiGations. and he is determined that
Investigations are not to be extended
in the way the Chamberlain resolution
as amended provides that they shall
be. If that resolution should pass
Congress will not wait for a scandal to
develop before making an inquiry, but
will inform Itself constantly how the
billions It appropriates for war are
being spent.
Mr.. Wilson means that Congress
shall not do this. The amendment OF
the resolution has compelled him to
shift his ground and disclose more
nearly what his real attitude is. II Is
him today will make plain that con-
stant oversight of expenditures fol
supplies will be intolerable to him. and
will declare It to be an interference
with the conduct of the war and a re.
Election of want of confidence in his
administration.
The meaning of the Hughes appoint
ment, as of the earlier appointment OF
the Marshall committee, is that the
President intends to take the function
of investigating away from Congress
He wants everything, even the inquiry
into the acts of his subordinates, in his
own hands. and by opposing even the
amended Cha amberlain, resolution he Is
boldly challenging the right of the Sen
ate to inform itself about the eXpen-
diture of public money.
Iryestigation Is the one real funC-
tior that Congress has been eXerCis-
ing. For the rest it has been merely
doing what the President tells 1t tc
do-passing the laws he asks for and
appropriating the money he demands
Investigation has been Its one VITAL
jndependent activity. And the Presi
dent means to take that away ana
exercise it himself.
II the Chamberlain resolution fails
of passage the Military Affairs inVes-
tigations will run on for little while
but will stop soon for lack of power
during recess or for lack of means
II the Senate refuses to appropriate
$4,000 now for carrying them on II
very soon will decline to furnish
money on the basis on which it has
furnished money in the past.
If the resolution is beaten there can
be no mistake about the meaning OF
its defeat 1t will be a vote against
investigation. in obedience to the Pres.
ident's wishes, and inevitably inves.
tigations will stop, unless some scan
dal arises which cries out for more
independent inquiry than one con
Quoted by the Executive Department
itself.
Senator McKellar made his report
for the majority of the Audit Com
mittee yesterday in favor of the
amended resolution. Senator Thomp
son will make his minority report
today The members of the Militar!
Affairs subcommittee, who have beer
visiting gun plants, will be back ir
their seats today, and a vote may be
had. The issue is close. But the
general expectation is that the Presi
dent will win and Investigations by
the Senate will soon stop.