The Hartford republican. (Hartford, Ky.) 18??-1926, 1920-06-11
MASON FLAYS WILSON
FOR ABUSE OF POWER
Executives Idea OF Rule
Should Receive
Limitations

Washington, June TT wish to
God the President had some idea with
regard to limitation of executive pow
err" exclaimed Representative Will
liam L. Mason, of Illinois, in defense
of the Knox peace resolution. He
said.
This is the law that repeats the
war laws. This is what is wanted.
Ninety-five per cent of the war legis-
lation ends with war. Ninety-five per
cent of the legislation, the drastic leg
islation under which your President
today is arresting men because they
quit work, ends with the declaration
of peace. We waited for the Presi-
dent and the Senate for a long year
and a quarter to make a treaty of
peace. We have now reached the
time when we are going to repeal
those laws: and, believe me. the
Supreme Court of the United States
will say that every one of those laws
ended by the declaration of peace
by the Congress of the United States.
The gentleman says that by &C
cepting this amendment we admit
that there is some limitation TO con-
gressional power. / wish to God the!
President had some such idea with
regard to limitation of Executive
power. There is a limitation of our
power, it is quite true. You can not
negotiate treaty of peace, and Meth
err can he make a treaty of peace I'M
less it is ratified by the Senate. There
is limitation of power. / am glad |
for my party, if they have ever been |
guilty of forgetting the limitations of |
legislative and executive power, that |
we have come back TO the old lines of |
Americanism where, as plain Am
erican Congressman, we admit there
is some limitation TO legislative pow
err. l wish the President had been
born with that idea. If he had any
idea of the limitation of Executive
power, he never would have sent our
troops into Siberia and northern Rus
sia, there to fight his personal war for
the collection of the debts of the peo-
pie of ancient Russia to the bankers
of France and Great Britain. If he
had anyidea of the limitation of Ex-
ecutive power, he would not keep the
people of the United States today, the
women and children. paying taxes
on their shoes and stockings in order
to maintain 900 men in Germany.
after the treaty of peace has been re-
Iected. We have no more business
with out troops in Germany than we
would have with them in Great Bril-
ain. He had the right to send them
here after the signing of the armis- ]
ice; he had the right to keep them !
here after the signing of the ancil- !
airy convention in June, 1919, a year /
fter the armistice was signed. Now, !
When the treaty failed of ratification .
hat power ceased. He has absolute I
y no idea. of the limitation of the :
Executive power we conceded to him I
Turing the war. He now seeks by
he control of his party organization
o whip you into line-and you know
T. to carry out hts personal and
elfish desire to continue in dis r
ands the power he had during the q
rar. q
Day after day the Democratic side
( the House in the last Congress e
nd in this has been the most subser- =
fent Of any Congress that ever scrv- +
d in waiting for the White House to n
AXE snuff before you would conde- +
cend 70 sneeze. You have an idea r
ha. it is your duty am not COM a
laining of you, but I beg of you net =
D complain of me or my party when {
re, anxious for peace, anxious 10 ans v
Ter the cry of hundred million peo- =
lie to give us peace. meet on common Z
round with Senators, agree io theif n
lggestions, and carry out what the
eople of the country want-a de- I,
aration by the war-making power n
hat we are at peace"