The Dermott news. (Dermott, Ark.) 1910-1977, 1918-07-25
By ARTHUR w. DUNN.

bers of congress who have made. In
the way of resolutions or amendments
to appropriation bills. suggestions as
TO the management of the war find
| before they get very far that the pres
| ident has Ideas of his own on this sub
! Ject and knows pretty well what he
wants. From the time an effort was
made to create joint congressional
military commission as an advisory
war board UP to the present time con-
| gress has found that about nll the nd-
! ministration desires of II is legislation
granting the president more power and
provision for financing the war.
There has been something in the
way Of conferences by members Of the
military committees with the war de-
partment, but instead of the members
of the two committees offering &C.
ceptable advice. these conferences
prove to be simply methods by which
the administration furnishes to the
men who formulate wnr legislation
confidential information rs to the war
situation. The conferences also serve
to impress upon the military commit
tees the Importance OF legislation
which has been asked for by the nd.
ministration.
Several times In the rush OF bust
ness and the passage OF very large
supply bills for carrying on the war
propositions were made for changing
the draft law, for increasing the size
OF the army. or fixing limit as to
the size OF the army. All Of these
were voted down upon the hint that
they were unsatisfactory to the nd
ministration.
II Is very evident that all of the dc.
1artments of the government are CO.
ordinating rs far rs possible In order
to help along the war. While II was
thought necessary to pass the Over
man law giving the president power to
do anything he pleases with any dc.
partment or governmental agency, II
appears that he Is accomplishing a
great deal with the power he already
has md without making use Of the
Overmnn law. II Is found that In
peariy every department some bureau
or other can contribute great deal
to the success Of the war. OF course
the state. war and navy are In the
forefront Of war activity. The treas
ury Is In n why more important than
any other. for without money there
could be no war. The department of
justice has found a great deal to do.
All OF the other OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
ofsice, agriculture. interior. commerce
and labor-hnvs found that they can
do much to make the war a success
and many bureaus have been turned
over almost exclusively for war work
The Democratic majority In the
house found Itself in some perpiexity
regarding the appropriation bills which
Ind not been passed before the end Of
| the fiscal year. After the matter had
been discussed In the house. Congress
man Gillett OF Massachusetts,. who Is
now the minority leader. remarked ::
III we were not ut war and X this side
Of the house had not really adjourned
politics. should enjoy very much
making some comments upon the pres
ent awkward situation Of the appro.
| priation bills: but. inasmuch as we on
this side have adjourned politics,
shall restrain myself and will without
criticism assist In every way l can to
extricate US from our embarrassing sit
uation."
One of the closest students Of the
war and everything relating to II Is
Senator McCumber OF North Dakota.
In recent speech on the floor Of the
senate he reviewed Americas accom-.
plishments In war-making and regis
tered q strong plea that his colleagues
take more active part IN the actual
direction Of the war program. and not
leave everything to the executive
branch Of the government. One Of
McCumber's ideas II TO import
| Chinese laborers to this country for
the duration Of the wur and send them
back to China after the Hun Is beaten.
III China had 100000 tons Of ship
ping" queried the senator. ''and We
could purchase II today. would we not
do sol II China has 5000. 900 tons of
energy which can be utilized for our
benefit In carrying on this war. should
we not purchase that also?"
Gen. Il. II. Crowder. provost mar
shall and Judge advocate general Of the
army. who refused the promotion to
the rank OF lieutenant general
extended to him by the senate on ac-
count Of the work ne has done for tho
draft. Is one OF the very able stnff ON.
GERS Of the army. Crowder has never
made q reputation rs military man.
and his first great hit was In taking
! the census Of Cuba. Curiously enough.
this census was taken while Leonard
Wood was governor general OF Cuba
and II caused some little comment In
military circles to see Crowder. who
! was then mn almost unknown subortli.
nate Of Wood. about to be raised to the