Evening star., 1920-02-25
&BkSTG3RfPEH~::
"ovERMAN| ACT
Mr.. Kraus of Indiana Offers
Bill to End "0ne-Man"
Power.

Designed as IA step toward retur
to representative government ana 70
..wjthdraw from the President one OF
the imperialistic arbitrary powers
conferred upon him during the war,
"A bill has been introduced by Hepre
sentative kraus. republican. OF IN
diana. to repeal the Overman a.
which gives the President authority
to coordinate or consolidate eAecu
tive bureaus. agencies and omces.
Representative Kraus. who has serv
ed as presidential elector. MAKES
clear that this bill has no inten..on,al Va
bearing upon the pending under'Ah
ing to classify and read3ust the sai-
aries of government employees.
has in some instances been lnierreu
Should legislation be required 10 el
fectuate the findings Of the joint con-
make it's report on March IL. Repre-
sentative Kraus believes that proper
Recommendations will be made
Opposes "Dirtntor" In Peace.
The object of this bill is all upon
its face" he says ITO withdraw from
the President one Of the 'mperlahstlc
arbitrary powers conferred upon MIN
during the war as cemmander-ln :
chief of the armed forces of the
United states to meet possible ext
Eencies which might arise. This can
not, ,be continued. as the United states
may tolerate a dictator in time OF
war. but never in time OF peace.
The Overman act. which this Dill
would repeal. was demanded and put
through Congress at the request OF
the President when at the Zenith or
his prestige and when the thought OF
the public was centered upon winning
the war.
1T was a substitute for the much
more democratic bill offered by SEN
create
cabinet to devise and formulate plans
for the conduct and prosecution OF
the war. 1t was during the contro- :
versy in Congress over these biils
that the President assaiied the honor
and veracity of Senator Chamberlain
in a letter which the President 1ur-
nished to the newspapers.
Power. Given Under Act.
Senator Chamberlain endeavored by
his bill" Representative kraus eN-
plains. ito create war caoinet Win
the arbitrary powers which the fresi-
dent succeeded in arrogatine 10 nm
self by the Overman power act. BY
this act the President can abolish at
will any bureau Of government. arhi-
trarily dismiss, coordinate. or trans
fer executive agencies which are
created by lay and notwithstanding .hd;
government.
; "As David Jayne Hill has recently
said: The Constitution still exists.
and is rightfully the basis of our
whole system of government. but it
cannot be contended, that its pro-
visions have recently controlled pub
lie action. either in its letter or spirit
This bill is hut an utterance OF the
spirit Of the American people in re-
volt against one-man government.
such as is not equaled in individual
power by any imperialistic govern
ment on earth. 1t is. however. not
aimed directly at the present occu-
pant of the White House. but is
founded in principle and designed as a
step toward a return to representa-
tive government
However. its Importance has been
emphasized by the many startling
constructions which the President has
given to similar laws, equally trust
ing him. and his apparent disposition
to employ laws merely as so many
incidental conveniences to be en-
ployed at will as . means to accom-
plish his personal determined pur-
pose. trust and believe that this
bill will meet with favorable con-
sideration by the Congress, as it GER
tainly will by the people"