The sun., 1918-12-03
VACANT PRESIDENCY
AROUSES CONGRESS.
Both Houses Look to Placing
Marshall in White House
When Wilson Goes.
TWO RESOLUTIONS READY
Senator Sherman Wants to
Have Election to Fill
the Office.


wAsHINGroN, Dec 2.--Before Presi-
dent Wilson arrived at the Capitol to-
day to make the announcement to
Congress of his intention to go abroad,
action had been begun in both houses
looking to the substitution OF the Vice.
President as the authoritative head Of
the nation In his absence.
In the House Representative Roden-
berg Gll) introduced a concurrent
resolution which. after recitlng at
length the various domestic problems
with which the Chief Executive might
he called upon to deal in addition to
the constitutional functions which he
must perform, provided for the tenn
porary delegation OF the. duties Of
Presiden. to Vice President Marshall
In the Senate similar resolution
had been drawn up by Senator Sher-
man Un), the only difference in the
two being that in Senator Shermans
document it was proposed to declare
the Executive office vacant until an
election migfft be held.
There Is considerable support for
Representative Rodenberg's pro-
gramme. This sentiment is not
bounded by party limitations. II is
known that Senator Lodge (Mass),
the Republican leader. is not in SYM
pathy with the suggestion, holding
that the constitutional definition Of
inability to exercise the powers and
duties" OF the Presidential Office does
not include absence from the terri
torial boundaries Of the United States
But on the other hand Senator
Hitchcock CNebraskal. chairman of
the Committee on Foreign Relations,
admitted to-day that he believed the
Vice President should so serve and
said that he thought the absence OF
the President constituted that in
ability" mentioned in the Federal Con-
stitution.
1t is known that q considerable
number of Democrats in both the
House and Senate believe that the
Presidents absence actually creates al
least a temporary vacancy and I'M
doubleday il the Rodenberg or Sher-
man measures reach. vote in either
House these Democrats will vote for
such a resolution.
The legality OF any acts performed
by the President while abroad in ap-
proving or vetoing legislation, making
appointments to Office or exercising
any of the executive functions and
likewise the legality OF any acts per-
formed by the Vice President under
the authority of the concurrent reso-
t,,t; 90
undoubtedly will be called in question
in the courts IL the Rodenberg or
Sherman resolution should be adopted
This is the principal deterrent to
action and the real occas sion for doubt
as to the enactment at least of the
less offensive OF the two.
Senator Cummins Gowa) introduced
a resolution to send to France a COM
mittee OF eight Senators, four OF each
great political party, to keep the Sem
ate in close touch with developments
OF the conference.
The resolution was referred to the
Foreign Relations Committee. which
meets on Wednesday. 1t apparently
is more than likely that that commit
tee in day or two, after will report
the resolution to the Senate with no
comment. This would afford the Sen
ate opportunity to discuss the merits
of the proposal It is regarded as
highly essential that some such meas
ure should be ready for adoption If the
Senate finds itself shut out from infor-
nation Of the progress of the confer
ences. Unless this occurs, however II
is believed there will be little chance
of its adoption.