The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1918-11-22
WILSON ACCUSED
OF BREACH OF FAITH
Continued from First Page.

IL believe that that 10 = breach OF
good faith on the part of the President
Of the United States. Congress voted
this extraordinary power for war pur-
poses only. We yielded up our authority
to put power in the Presidents right
hand and authority in his left hand for
the sole purpose OF winning this war.
"And now after finding II unnecessary
to take over the express companies dur
Ing the war, now when peace In at hand
the President. as believe, violates the
spirit, In fact the letter. OF the act by
which we conferred this power upon him
In taking over the express companies.
Unwilling to Give Up Power.
why was this step taken? II was
taken IN my belief simply because the
President IL loath to give US any OF the
powers with which we have clothed him
and that those subordinates about him,
including those in the Cabinet, do not In
tend to relinquish that power unless
compelled 10 do so by legislative action
II do not deem II tn be the province
Of a minority party or of any individual
member Of 1t to offer criticisms OF an
Administration merely for the sake OF
c-iticising. To use the ordinary street
expression l do not believe In throwing
a monkey wrench into machinery IN or
der to have the pleasure OF witnessing
the destruction of the works. This Is
especially true OF the Republican party,
| because having always been the party
Of aggression and Of construction 1t ILL
conforms with its character TO take upon
itself campaign of, mere criticism for
| the purpose of obstruction.
But while this Is true generally, It
Is also true that to- gloss over errors
7 and to conceal mistakes may be in
the long run Just as destructive, be-
cause II mistakes and II errors OF a
vital character are concealed they may
become fostering sores that will require
more drastic measures to eradicate.
we are also informed that by proc
lamation the President has taken over
the cables. II what have said with
reference TO the express companies be
true. with how much greater force do
these same words apply to the cables"
The Indiana Senator reminded the
Senate at this point that during de-
bates on the proposal to take over the
telegraph, Telephone and cable lines last
summer both the House and Senate
were repeatedly assured by Administra-
ton spokesman that the President had
absolutely no Intention OF taking over
links Action with Trip Abroad.
Now after these declara lions and
now after every hour Of emergency
has passed and peace has come upon
US" he continued, I'VE have the Presi-
dent OF the United States violating, as I
believe again the letter and the spirit of
that law by taking over the cables for
Governmental operation. 1t Is exceed
!ngly significant that this action of
taking over the cables comes Just at
the time when the President Of the
United States Is about to VISIT for
eign country.
Il am not going to quarrel with
the decision of the President about GO
ing aorond. do not believe II is an
unconstitutional act. 1t Is new and
1t 10 novel and In some respects Il
wears aspects that are quite startling.
do. not believe there Is any neces-
silly for his going abroad provided he
were willing to conflde In others ss
much as ] believe he might have at
This time confided to many OF his quail
flied fellow citizens
But 1t Is singularly significant that
Just at the time the President is about
TO 60 abroad he takes over the cables
after having declined to take them over
during all the years OF war and all the
time Of storm and peril and when every
necessity for his having taken them over
has ceased, II. indeed. any necessity for
such action has ever existed.
Therefore. we are again LEFT to the
~'ds field Of conjecture as to WHY the
N-asident sees 1T to take this particular
'ction at this p rtlcular time. Certainly
no one would claim that he is taking
them ever as a necessity OF war Certainty
no one VIII claim that this IL in any wise
related to the war proposition. because
there Is no war. and because all the
time hostilities were in progress he de-
clfned to take them over During all
that time private management was doing
all that needed TO be done both with the
express companies and with the cables
How can 1t be said that private manage
ment win fail now that the war is
over and the days OF peace have come
upon US?
Sinister Reason Seen in seixure.
THE President might have taken his
fellow citizens into his confidence and
given hts reasnns for taking over the
cables. He has not seen ft to do SO.
/ ~No ihti HdS give a reason eX-
cept the hidden and sinister reason that
1t is part of the general policy OF gov
eminent ownership ana that It is the
opening door TO the existence of a So
cial state.
ut - quite significant that the Presl-
dent IL taking with him as one OF his
companions on his trip George Creel,
master OF public instruction. take II
for granted that when the President
leaves these shores he does not intend
that any man at the peace table shall
know what is being said in the House
OF Representatives and on the floor OF
this body. I take It for granted that we
are not TO know on this side what they
are doing over there and that they are
not to know on that side what we are
saying over here.
81 can conceive Of no other reason for
this action at this particular time. Why
does George Creei go along? Clearly IN
order TO send hack whatever news may
be required. With George Creel at that
end controlling all the messages and In
formation and with Albert Burleson at
this end controlling all the sources of IN
formation the country may be we'll
warned that II may take at least with n
grain Of salt whatever IL published as to
what happens on the other side.
TT occurs to me that in all fairness
the American people ought TO know
every transaction that goes on at that
peace table. Certainly the Senate should
be spprised OF those transactions"
Senator Watson summed up his ar
raignment OF the cable seizure by say
ing:
THE Senate under the Constitution OF
the United States shares the treaty max
ing power and 1t Is ours to ratify what