The sun., 1918-07-06
HOUSE VOTES
WIRECONTR0L
TO PRESIDENT
May Take Over Systems IF
He Sees Necessity Reso-
luton Says.
SENATE ACTION TO WAIT
Assurances Given That Upper
House Will Not Concur
Before August IL.
Special Despatch to THE SuN.


WASHINGTON. July 5.--The House to-
day rushed through the resolution to
grant the President power to take over
telegraph and telephone systems during
the war il he deems it necessary. AL
most Immediately thereafter it was as
sured that the Senate would not attempt
to touch the resolution until after a
recess extending until August L.
With assurances from Chairman Sims
(Tenn) Of the House Interstate Com
merce Committee that the President de-
sired Immediate passage Of the rcsolu-
ton rule was adopted limiting general
debate TO two hours. The resolution was
adopted. eel to 4.
Majority leader Kitchin IN. c.
then appeared on the floor and was
asked what his plans were about ad-
purnment. He said that after the
House voted tomorrow on several inn
portant measures which have been in
conference he would submit a resolu-
ton providing for recess until
August l2
dozen members Immediately de-
manded of him IL it was not the plan
Of the Administration leaders to wait
until the Senate passed the communica-
tons control bill just rushed through
the House.
Only Change Can Stop Recess.
To this Mr.. Kitchin replied he had
been given to understand that this was
not essential-his statement being in
t,tt@ ,f fhA at nd
maintained throughout the day by those
in charge of the bill. The only thing
which can prevent a recess now Is
another complete change Of attitude
tomorrow.
M. kiechins statement that the Ad-
ninlstration did not regard the imme-
date passage of the communications
control resolution essential is understood
to be based on a letter written by the
President to Senator Swanson tNa.) In
which the President said that he would
like TO have the resolution passed III
practicable" but was not more insistent.
As the resolution finally passed the
House II was divested OF every feature
which might permit of ultimate Govern
ment control. During the debate Repre-
sentative Madden Ull) denounced the
attitude toward Government control
taken by some members OF the Cabinet.
intimating that under the guise OF war
necessity an attempt had been made TO
foist Government control OF the wire
systems op the country.
siaps at r. NJ. G. Burleson.
'Postmaster-General Burleson Is a
hug on Government ownership" Mr.
Madden stated
While reluctant to vote against the
measure when the President and his fol-
lowers in the House put it on the basis
OF war necessity. some members did
not hesitate to express their opinions
representative Miller (Minn.) openly
doubted that the President insisted Oh
the immediate passage of this resolution
and the later events of the day sustained
him in this. He pointed out that wher
the President wanted anything from
Congress he usually asked for 1t directly
and not through other people.
Debate on various points in the bill
was acrimonious at times. the House re.
ssnting having the resolution forced
down It's throat and being compelled to
act on such short notice. This acrimony
eliminated in the statement by Repre-
sentative Walsh (Mass.), that ''the gen.
teman who prepared this is in danger OF
beng put into comic opera and set to
music"
NJ. Sims assured the House that the
resolution was desired solely to enable
the President to take over the lines IN
the event he deemed 1t necessary and
sad they might not be taken at all.
o. the record vote the negatives were
representatives Fordney. Mclaughlin
Sterling and Woods.