Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1918-05-15

ously objects to any Investigation OF
the general conduct of the war" In
q, letter to Senator Martin he pointed
out that the Chamberlain resolution
to aircraft production and other war
activities is unnecessarily broad,
The president =, informed Senator
Martin that he had no objection to
the most searching inquiry into the
aircraft situation, but that he deemed
inadvisable at this time any investi-
CATION of the conduct of the war. At
the last session Of congress his oppo-
sition to such an investigation put an
end to proposals that it be made -
4 1t was believed that the presidents
attitude was, due. to the form in which
Senator Chamberlain Of Oregon.
chairman OF the senate military COM
mittee. introduced the resolution. The
resolution authorized and directed"
the committee ''to inquire into and
report to the senate the progress OF
aircraft production in; the. United
States or. into" any other matters re-
lating to the conduct of the. war, by
Or through the war department"
{. The text Of the presidents letter to
Senator Martin was not made public;
s The expenditure committee met to-
day to redraft the resolution. Sena-
tor Chamberlain, and others of the
military committee have declared
there was no objection to. limiting the
scope of the resolution, 49,
Il deem 1t my duty. to say. the
presidents letter said \ = that l. should
regard the passage .of this resolution
as a, direct vote Of want Of confidence
lit the ;admini ton. 4 The purpose
kWhi9hs it lnd oubtsdiy 4 expresses ! haa
Been EXPRESSED Again and again n
|Harious forms during the present -ses.
sion and has always seemed TO orig
who are at tspreseut in charge of the
executive functions Of the govern,
lment. Those executive functions are
very clearly, understood. They haye
been defined, both by the. constitution
and by long experience and no one
i can doubt where the Responsibility
for them lies or what the method:
are by, which those who are re-
sponsible can be held to their duty. .
js& Means Change of OMcials.
T., "Such activities on the part Of {
Tparticular committee of the senate, a.
Ethis resolution would look forward
ttto, would constitute nothing less thai
an attempt to take over the conduc
LOT the war, or at the least so super
lSintend and direct and :, participat,
III the executive conduct of 1t as II
Interfere in the most serious way will
1.-THE action Of the constituted execu
tive. protest most earnestly agains
the adoption Of any such action an.
shall hope that every senator who in
tends to support the present admin
istration in the conduct Of the wa
viii vote against it. These are seriou
times and it is absolutely necessar r,
that the lines should be clearly draw
between friends and opponents"
+, No Inquiry Planned.
In confederation of the Chamber
lain resolution, the expenditures com
mittee called Senator Chamberlai
before it and at a spirited session tn
4 Oregon senator disclaimed that tn
military committee, under the resolu
.tion, ever had any intention Of hold
ing any general inquiry into tn
'conduct Of the war "
= Senator Chamberlain said he wa
ready to take the whole question I
1.-THE fioor Of the senate" and make hi
"record" there. 80 s4{
senator Chamberlain tndicated tina
IL the senate were to refuse to pas
Ian amended resolution giving tn
military committee authority h
would not attempt to press army in
d Quiries further.
M. Discus.aon started.
Upon recelpt OK the presidents lei
ter, Senator Martin called a doxe
prominent Democratic senators int
conference to discuss what dispositio
should be made OF the Chamberlai
resolution. s ; ,7s s.s {fi.s !: -
4 The expenditures COMMITTEES cam
to no agreement al to the dispositio
of the Chamberlain resolution : an
adjourned to take up the subject late
in the day. &. sss;; 40 III Il
Senators Thompson, of Kansal
chairman and Jones of New; Mexic
opposed reporting the resolution an
planned to filei asmirfority report wit