The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1918-02-15
Advance in Palestine.
DAY
OF DEEP FOG

down with liberal and impartial
hand. Senators advocating the Cham
berlain bills for co-ordinating war ac
tiyities shave been charged with parti-
sanship" said Weeks. ''But the coun-
try should not fail to note that not
question indicating partisanship was
raised until the president deliberate
ly injected politics into the situation
and the committee itself by calling to
the white house many democratic
party leaders, not for consultation but
to insist that discussion of this ques-
ton on the floor of the senate be pre-
vented if possible.
Have we come to such pass that
the action Of the most important COM
mittee in congress at this time has to
be forbidden by the president as far
as he is able to do so? He need not
approve this legislation if it ever
reaches him but it is vital to free
speech and Independent action of a
coordinate branch Of the government
that such a position as has been taken
by the president be resented by every
member Of this body.
Almost Immediately after this in.
terview a. the white house, opposition
developed not only to the committees
work, but also to the legislation pro-
posed. There was cleavage in the
committee and every member who
moved to report out the munitions di-
rector bill became arrayed against any
legislative action"
Weeks declared that Congress must
see that the means it provides are ap-
piled to winning the war and should
not be diverted from that course by
unreasoning or uniformed criticism
from any one no matter what his posi-
ton may be-"
Regarding Baker, Weeks said:
If / were to criticize the secretary
Of war personally it would be that he
has undertaken to do too many things
himself, some of which might have
been attended to by subordinates and
that he had been too open to access to
people who might have had their
needs provided for through some sub
ordinate officer leaving him too little
time to deliberate over the larger
problems.
IF l were to make further criticism,
it would relate to his temperamental
relation to war. Doubtless he himself
would admit that he is a pacifist by
nature. For example, he is now op-
posed to universal militry training,
one of the benefits we ought to get
cut Of the great sacrifices we are max
ing; and I cannot divorce myself from
the conclusion based On his own testi-
mony, that he has been inclined to
plan for the war-and this condition
has in some degree permeated the de-
partment-on the basis that we are
three thousand miles from the front
instead of Fastening preparations with
all the vigor we would exercise il our
borders were the battle 'front.'
Weeks also took exception to the
criticism of those backing the Cham
berlain bill on the ground that they are
"meddling."
Those who favor this plan are re-
ferred to as plotters, mischievous med
dlers and even servitors of the enemy"
said Weeks.
Every means of false suggestion
has been used to discredit sincere
and loyal attempt to make change
which will materially increase the eff
cheney of our war administration
Can it be possible that the presi-
dent will be embarrassed by such
cabinet? 1t would seem as If he would
be embarrassed to a greater extent by
perpetuation of disjointed systems
which now exists a system which has
failed to produce ships notwithstand-
ing the shipping plans: which has fall
ed to deliver sufficient fuel, notwith-
standing the unbounded fuel supply we
have: which has been responsible for
a failure to protect our soldiers against
sickness and furnish them with suit
able clothing. We are inventors and
leaders on airplanes and yet we have
no airplanes We have the greatest
steel works In the world and yet we
have few guns. We lead the world in
auto manufacture and yet We are just
to obtain motor trucks;
and. worst of all. the system we had