New Mexico state record., 1920-06-04
MASON FLAYS WILSON
FOR MISUSE OF POWER

Washington, June 2-'I wish tC
God the President had some ide;
with regard to limitat on of execu-
tive power" exclaimed Representa-.
tive William z. Mason. of Illinois
in defense of the Knox peace re-
solution. He said:
This is the law that repeals the
war laws. This is what is wanted
Ninety five percent of the war leg.
isla tion ends with war Ninety five
per cent of the legislation, the dras-
It's legislation under which your Pre-
sident today is arresting men be-
cause they quit work, ends with
the declaration of peace. We wait
ed for the President and the Sen
at for long year and quarter
to make 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 ev-
ry one OF those laws ended by the
declaration OF peace by the Con
gress of the United States
"The gentleman says that by ac-
cep.ing this amendment we admit
that there is some limitation to con-
gress onal power. | wish to God the
President had some such idea with
regard to limitation of Executive
power There is a limitation of our
power. il is quite true. You can not
negotiate treaty of peace, and nei-
ther can he make a treaty of peace
unless it is ratified by the Senate.
There is a limitation of power. |
an glad for my party. If they have
ever been guilty of forgetting the
limitations of legislative and execu-
tive power, that we have come back
where, as plain American congress
men, we admit there is some limit
alton to legislative power. | 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 Russia,
there to fight his personal war for
the collection OF the debts OF the peo-
pie of ancient Russia to the bank
ers of France and Great Britain. Ii
he had any idea OF the limitation
of Executive power. he would not
keep the people of the United Sta
ties today. the women and children
paying taxes on their shoes and
stockings in order TO maintain l5,OO0
men in Germany after the treaty OF
peace has been rejected. We have
no more business with our troops
in Germany than we would have with
them in Great Britain. He had the
right to send them there after the
signing of the armistice; he had the
right to keep them there after the
signing of the ancillary convention
in June, 1919, year after the ar
mistice was signed. Now, when the
treaty failed of ratification that po-
wer ceased. He has absolutely no
idea of the limitation of the Execu-
tive power we conceded to him
during the war He now seeks the
control of his party organization
to whip you into line-and you
know ito carry out his personal
and selfish desire to continue in
his hands the power he had dur
ing the war.
DAY after day the Democratic
side of the House in the last Con-
gress and in this has been the most
subservient Of any congress that
ever served in waiting for the White
House to take snuff before you
would condescend to sneeze. You
have an idea that it is your duty.
am not complaining of you, but
beg of you not to complain of me
Or my party when we. anxious tor
peace, anxious to answer the cry of
hundred million people to give us
,eace, meet on common ground with
Senator's, agree to their suggestions,
md carry out what the people OF
he country want-a declaration by
he war-making power that we are
II peace"