Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-05-16

Hughes Appeinsmsnt Eliminates Any Need
for an Omnibus Inquiry Into War
Preparations

WHAT may easily be Interpreted as an
" attempt at bushwhacking against
the Administration was very properly de-
nounced by President Wilson in his Wig
orous letter to Senator Martin asking the
Senate to kill the Chamberlain resolution
authorizing an omnibus inquiry into the
conduct Of the chiei ches Of the War
Department
In summoning Mr.. Hughes to direct
the aircraft inquiry the President re-
vealed dazzling ability in mental COM
bat and an intention to be thorough in
relation to the questions that have in
spired Senatorial restlessness. Mr..
Hughes's appointment was even more
eloquent in its implications than Mr.. Will
sons letter to Senator Martin. At
a stroke the President lifts the entire
issue above partisanship and assures an
inquiry far more penetrating and more
systematic than any that might have been
directed by Senate committee.
Mr.. Hughes's willingness to accept this
responsibility is as suggestive almost as
the Presidents summons to him. 1t in
uiCdtcS tudt dinOHs bhS iSohs "D'~ up
resentatives of the big political parties
all the ordinary considerations are sub
ordinated to concerns Of patriotism. The
Senate committee has been taken by sur
prise. 1t has been given even more than
it asked in assurances of complete and
merciless scrutiny into the dominant
question of military preparedness,
Still, as it stands, Senator Chamber
lains resolution gives too much author
ity to the Military Affairs Commit
tee. Under the guise of investigat-
ing aircraft and ordnance production
and the status of quartermaster's sup
plies, it is in effect commission to delve
into virtually every branch of the War
Department and to continue doing so for
an indefinite period. AS the President
pointed out, this would create standing
committee to supervise and interfere with
the conduct of the war.
Nor does the proviso tackled on the end
after the Presidents letter became public
essentially limit the scope of the resolu
ton, although stating "that nothing in
this resolution shall be held to authorize
the Military Affairs Committee to take
over. in any manner, or direct or superin-
tend the executive branch Of the Govern
ment in the conduct of the war"
What the committee still could attempt
under the resolution, even in its amended
form, is to harass and hobbe the execu-
tive direction of the War Department
WITHOUT mourning the responsibility for
results that rests solely upon the shoul-
ders of President Wilson and Secretary
Baker. The wording of the resolution is
still too A.'oad and it should not, pass in
its present form.
This does not mean that Congress
should never order inquiries where it sees
or suspects abuses in the executive de-
partments. The President would be
gravely in error if he took such stand.
Senator Martin. 1t is just as much the
function of Congress to inquire into the
conduct of the executive departments as
it is to pass appropriation bills at execu-
tive request. The appropriating and
supervisory power go hand in hand and
must not be separated. Presumably that
is what the President meant when he
used the phrase mo one can doubt what
the methods are by which those who are
responsible can be held to their duty"
Even the Presidents warmest sup
porters must admit, now that the events
are past, that the series of investigations
undertaken by Congress last winter did
bring some good results. Much of the
criticism then indulged in was undoubt-
edly prejudiced, some of it partisan and
more of it stupid. But it is incontestable
that some of the very suggestions then
made for the reorganization of personnel
and systems were afterward adopted by
the President in other but not substan-
TALLY different forms. The appointment
of virtual director of munitions is only
one example. There were many more.
This in no way reflected upon the Presi-
dents course, but rather testified to his
perceptive quality and willingness to
change his mind when he found things
not what he had been led to believe.
These changes, however, were brought
about by specific inquiries directed at
abuses which had become reasonably
plain, quite different proceeding from
what is proposed under or might grow
out of tho Chamberlain resolutiop