Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1920-09-12
LODGE BITTERLY
ASSA|LS 0NE-MAN
REIGN OF Terror
Senator Charges President
Distorts Powers by
Aut0cracy.

Senator Henry Cabot Lodge today at
tackled what he said was the effort of
President Wilson to make ours a one
man government. The Presidents
conception Of government, he said. is
that OF the third Napoleon. He
charged that the President had es-
tabliShed such reign of terror over
many representatives and senator's of
powers of the Constitution granted to
Congress alone were impaired and dis
torted."
Senator Lodge, who was addressing
an outing of the Lynn Republican
Club here, said that President Will
sons autocratic administration af-
fected every department of the gov
ernment. The Navy and War depart
ments. he said. were marked by "a
favoritism In appointment on one
hand. and on the other a vindictive
spirit toward officers not liked by the
Secretaries"
Cites Several Instances.
As instances he gave the removal of
Gen. Barnett. who was commandant
OF marines during the war; refusal OF
President Wilson and Secretary Baker
to permit Theodore Roosevelt to raise
a division Of volunteers. after Con-
gress gave the necessary authority:
the Treatment Of Gen. Wood" and
the fact that Gen. Edwards. senior
brigadier general when war was de-
clarsd. after leading the z6th Division
in action overseas. is still the senior
brigadier general. and recently has
been deprived Of his command OF the
Northeast Department
"One of the leading demands Of the
republican platform and one of the
issues which Senator Harding has
most strongly emphasized Ia that we
the system and the forms of the Con-
stitution. which we have always fol-
lowed thus far throughout our his
tory" said Senator Lodge. I'VE all
know, in a general way, what this
means and believe the people Of the
country thoroughly appreciate the dan
has endeavored to Substitute for the
methods Of the Constitution.
Mr.. Wilson. through his admins
tration. has steadily sought to absorb
the powers of the legislative branch
and to make our government a one
man government. He has undertaken
In the constitution Of Massachusetts.
that this is to be a government of
laws, and not Of men. He has tried
to make 1t government by one man."
The senator quoted from q passage
in one of President Wilson's books as
illustrating his conception Of govern
ment. and continued:
"By his acts also 10 his conception
shown to be that of the third Napo-
leon. an autocrat elected by q plebi-
settle uncontrolled by any Intervening
legislative or judicial authority. 1t
seems to me that 1t may not be AIniss
to illustrate this proposition.
ut was impossible for Mr.. Wilson
to secure league Of nations without
assent Of the Senate. but he endeavor-
ed to evade and practically nullify
the rightful power of the Senate by
attaching to the treaty Of peace with
Germany. which everybody desired.
the covenant Of the league of ma
tons. which ought to have been sepa-
rately considered because 1t bound
the country for an indefinite future
and required the utmost care on the
part Of all concerned In its formation
and ratification. His plan was simple.
He aimed to compel the Senate to
ratify the covenant Of the league of
nations by forcing upon them the al
tentative Of holding up the treaty of
peace with Germany, which all men
desired to have disposed Of ut once.
Col. House has recently stated pub
licly that II we had followed the
course advocated In the Senate before
treaty Of peace with Germany at once
Immediately after the armistice. 1t
would have been complete and ready
| for ratification by Christmas.
by attaching the league Of nations
to 1t. the treaty was delayed In Paris
Senate until the 10th Of July. 1918.
Tho covenant Of the league of nations
proved on examination % dangerous
and so unpelatable to the American
people that the treaty OF peace with
Germany failed led,,v Of Z, rat ssa. al;
to ratify 1t with reservations, and has
not yet been accepted.
Mr.. Wilson has also adopted the
| autocratic method In another direc-
| ton. He has carried on his relations
with foreign nations and his nsgotia-
tions largely through personal agents
1 through men who did not hold an
once in which they had been confirm
/ ed by the Senate, which would make
! them officials Of the United States. bu,
responsible to him alone" Senator
Lodge mentioned in this connection
BAyard Hale and Col. House. "This
abuse Of the underlined power to en-
/ ploy . personal agent Is a direc,
! method Of the autocrat and not Of tbs
! 1t Is not the right or the duty OF
! the President to undertake. to legis-
late. Mr.. Wilson has never hesitated
openly or privately to settle the de-
Congress just what the form Of bills
should be. He has passed upon
| amendments offered either in the
Senate or the House and he succeed.
ed in establishing such a reign OF
senator's Of his own party that the
legislative powers Of the Constitu.
tion granted to Congress alone were
impaired and distorted.
These cases in a very general way
illustrate the dangers to which Mr.
Wilson's theory OF government has
exposed az and there is nothing more
important than to bring our govern.
ment back to the observance Of ths