The Washington times., 1918-01-19

The question Of final control ana
expenditure for "NlneteeA Billions
will be put squarely before Congress
on bills from the Senate Committee
on Military Affairs. Nothing else
compares with it in present I'M
portance.
The two sides Of the question are
these, when the eloquent arguments
on both sides are translated into
: common English:
| I'D The Government should ex-
pend, only FOG war purposes and
only under the direction Of. regular
Government agencies, belonging TO
the Constitutional system. the funds
raised for winning the war by taxa
ton or to be paid for by future taxa
ton. Or else
, (2.) The Government should ex-
pend the war fund for war purposes
. in such way as to give the greatest
1 possible incidental protection and
relief to industries which are suffer-
ing because of the immense sum OF
! Nineteen Billions" withdrawn or to
be withdrawn from the regular
channels Of business.
From the first Congress to date
this question of incidental protec-
ton. benefit or relief has figured con-
, tinuously In connection with the levy
+, Of taxes and the expenditure Of rev.
enue. ,..--- 100.
The only novelty now is the inn
mensity OF the Nineteen Billions"
which are frequently mentioned in
arguments that If war-sufferlng
among industries Is not to end In
disaster, they must be relieved by
the use OF war appropriations as a
revolving fund" to stimulate their
production Of articles, needed to win
the war.
Through Senator Chamberlain,
, the Committee on Military Affairs
reported favorably, with amend
ments, the first Of the bills which
represent its compliance, as far as
possible, with the Volunteer Expert
advice given during its investiga-
/ ton of the conduct Of the war. AS
dIuclucug the DAli pHONluCog AOb AOL
a department" but a director Of
munitions, charged with executive
responsibility for controlling the
/ purchase Of all supplies, including
actual munitions.
Under a second bill, which is ex-
pected on Monday, the creation of a
war council is proposed, with three
civilians in a total Of five members.
The Secretaries of War and Navy,
as minority members, acting with
this council, would need only one
civilian vote to be in the majority
when an issue of policy affecting the
Nineteen Billions is before the coun-
Gil. All civilian experts who have
spoken publicly on the subject feel
that measure of this kind is Of pro-
found Importance and is absolutely
necessary.
There can be no doubt Of its pro-
found importance.
The House opened at II o'clock, so
as to save Lost time and push the
Indian appropriation bill. Unani-
nous consent was being asked, as
usual, when members of the Com
mittee on Labor announced that
there would be no more unanimous
consent to anything whatever while
labor bills were kept on the side
track. Meyer London, who is sup
posed to be in public life in opposi-
ton to compulsion, forced a roll call
on a point of no quorum, under which
a majority of the House, including
the only living Congresswoman, were
brought before the bar of the House
in charge of the sergeant-at-arms
and compelled to answer as abb
sentees.
The House then proceeded TO de-
bate the Indian APPROPRIATION Bill
in committee of the whole. That ls'
il debated almost everything but the
needs OF the Indians until the time
had almost come for adjournment,
when some member suggested that
at least one speech ought to be maze
on considerable treatment Tor tue
Wards Of the Nation. The bill finally
went over for further consideration.
The House was mostly concerned
with the Garfield coal order 1t does
not exaggerate to say that II the
Republicans from manufacturing
districts did not register rage, as
we'll as Indignation and disgust, II
was because language failed them.
William Stedman Greene, OF the
Fall River district, introduced his
protest by reading a telegram. sum
ming the opinion from the Boston
! Chamber OF Commerce and Its al
| fliated bodies that the damage done
to business by the Garfield order
was greater than could be done IN
/ the same length Of time by all the
/ submarines in the world.
In the name of the manufacturers
OF New Hampshire. Sherman Everett
| Burroughs demanded that the order
should be annulled at once He SAID
the public might have had at least a
warning in advance before being
struck with force Of a thunder