Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-07-02
The Abdication of Congress

TN THE course of the debate in the Senate
on the extension of the age limit for
military service, Senator McCumber, Re-
publican of North Dakota, had the follow
ing things to say, as reported in the Con-
gressional Record, about the surrender of
its Judgment by Congress to the Judgment
of the executive officers:
we are continually asserting that the
American people have not yet begun TO
realize that we are in actual war But why
should this tardiness of the American mind
elicit comment when neither the Congress it.
self, as a whole. nor the War Depart
ment, nor the shipping board, nor other kim
dred boards have yet fully awakened to that
realization? Certainly Congress must admit
either that it does not realize the full I'M
portance of this war. or that while conscious
of its gravity and immensely it has never
theless transferred congressional functions
and responsibilities pertaining to the war to
another branch of the Government.
Il wish to plead with the chairman Of
the Committee on Military Affairs to recall
the constitutional functions and to exercise
the war powers Of Congress. Is he In the
least degree uncertain as to where rests the
authority to conduct and direct this war
whether in the legislative or in the executive
department?
The Constitution creating this Government
imposes on the Congress the duty to declare
war. to raise and support armies, to pro-
vide ard maintain navy. And, Mr.. Presi-
dent. the sole authority to declare war. to
raise and support armies, and to provide and
maintain a navy per Sc, imposes upon
Congress the sole duty to determine
the size and character of any army or navy
created by It,.
Certainly the chairman Of this war COM
| mittee will agree with me upon that declara-
| ton. Therefore, 1t Is for Congress to exer-
| else legislative judgment as to the number
| of fighting men necessary to achieve VIC
tory. Congress has no right, legal or moral,
to relieve itself of to shift that burden
| upon the shoulders OF another, whether he be
| the Secretary of War or the President of
the United States.
| Mr., President, SO far-and think the
| chairman of this war committee will agree
| with me-Congress has wholly failed to as
| sumo that duty or to exercise any Judgment
| whatever in relation to It, So far all Cen
| gress has done has been TO enact what ever
| revenue measures or other legislation the
executive departments have Seen fit to recon.
mend; to make appropriations as per eXecu,
| tive schedule; and has exercised only a
moety of Its judgment even upon these sub
| jects.
Il want TO say that Congress- upon whom
| Is laid the duty to raise armies has moi
once asked itself how large an army dc
! we need to make a success of this war whst
tonnage of ships will it require to support
| that army. Congress has not once asked
| itself those questions since we entered TIL.
| war.
II say had the Committee on Military AT
| fars-and this Is another committee-ha,
the Committee on Commerce been active II
| the performance of war functions which
| Congress of itself took away from them, hat
It enacted it's judgment into positive iegis
Iation with direct and certain purpose, w
would not have been year two year
behind time in meeting the submarine raw
ages; We would not have lost six or "igh
months before we did anything toward i'm
proving our shipping situation.
II repeat, Mr.. President, that these are 10
criticisms aimed at either of these commit
tees but rather at Congress itself which, b,
its own legislation, has seemed overwiling L
surrender it's functions and delegate It
authority. and thereby escape it's responsible
ties. There 10 where the fault lies.
Mr.. President, in the light Of our dere
lction and of our total failure to shouide
our great constitutional obligations in thi
war, would Il be impertinent for me to asl
the Senate, even to plead with the Senate
to return to Its ancient functions?'