The Washington herald., 1920-05-14
Propision BY
Sn1oot Causes
Its Rejection
President Charges Congress
With Invading His.
Domain.
Carried Funds for Legisla-
tive, Executive and Ju-
dicial Expenses.

Charging that Congress. in pass
ing the bill making appropriations
for the legislative. execstive and
judicial expenses Of the government
was invading the province of the
executive" and interfering in the
processes of good government"
President Wilson yesterday vetoed
the bill and returned it to Congress.
The portion of the bill which
brought about the rejection of the
. whole measure by the President was
that placing under Congressional
control all government publica-
tions.
SntoOt Provision At Root.
Senator Reed Smoot of Utah. was
the author OF the provision which
would establish a form of Con-
gressional censorship on govern
ment publications. The section
reads:
Provided. That hereafter no
journal. magazine, periodical. or
similar government publication.
shall be printed. issued, or dis
seminated by any branch or officer
of the government service unless
the same shall have been authorized
under such regulations as shall be
prescribed by the Joint Committee
on Printing"
Charges Direct Usurpation.
1t is plain front the language of
the Presidents statement, that he
regards this provision as a direct
usurpatiOn by Congress of his Ex-
ecutiye prerogatiyes. He says:
Il regard the provision in ques-
tion as an invasion of the province
of the Executive and calculated to
result in unwarranted interference
in the processes of good govern
raent. producing confusion, .irrita-
ton and distrust" - T.
Congress Is AmaEed.
The Presidents action in return
ing the bill without his signature,
and the emphatic wording of the
statement explaining the rejection,
caused genuine amaZement in Con-
gress, where on many occasions the
Presidents dictatorial attitude re-
BdTulnB ltBlSldllOA mas DSCh lllS SdO-
ject of frequent debates and unre-
strained protests
Members of Congress expressed the
opinion yesterday that the provi-
sion to which the President took
such marked exception was insert
ed only with a view to insuring
economies.
President's View Differs
President Wilson. in his state
ment, however, differs radically
from this view. and points out that
IL Congress wished really to effect
economies, IT should plan all ex-
penditures on the budget system
The statement adds:
IF we are to have efficient and
economical business administration
Of government affairs, the Congress.
/ believe, should direct it's efforts
to the control of public moneys
along broader lines, fixing the
amounts to be expended and then
holding the executive departments
strictly responsible for their use.
This can be accomplished by legis-
lation establishing an effective bud
get system which have heretofore
urged.
THE Congress and Executive
should function within their respec-
tive spheres. Otherwise, efficient
and responsible managementSwill be
impossible and progress impeded by
wastful forces OF disorganization
and obstruction.
Irked by Regulations.
Il do not concede the right. and
certainly not the wisdom. of the
Congress endowins a committee of
either house or a joint committee
of both houses with power to pre-
scribe regulations under which
executive departments may oper-
ate
The President goes even further
in his statement to Congress, and
assaiIs a proposed amendment to
the Senate bill designed to establish
. national budget system, in which
the Bureau of Efficiency of the War
DepaI tment is transferred from the
Presidents authority to that of Con-
gress- The pending bill. the Presi-
dent states. IL enacted, would con-
fer upon the Bureau of Efficiency
-mote sweeping power of investi-
CATION than is usually conferred up
on the committees of the Congress
itself"