The Glenwood post., 1920-11-13
Ind. TETS set the si,r,es
Current 8vo4s roe ~ oAtldrsn
and 0spwn-ups, Too

ON~S~o 4SAS V0SA anu Ikutu uAU luHC
climbed into the automobile for spin
through the country. Uncle Ted had
promised that they would pick nuts
and gather autumn leaves, but most
important to the children was the
promise Of another story.
"You said you would tell us some
thing this time that we ought to
know" said Jack as the machine
pulled down the long street for the
country.
eyes, Jack,' answered his Uncle,
"I'm going to tall you how President
Wilson has refused to carry out the
provisions Of law passed by Con-
gress."
"What law is that!" asked Ruth.
"The law is the Merchant Marine
Act, which was passed by Congress
and approved in regular order by the
President on the fifth of last June.
This act authorized and directed the
President within 80 days after it be
came law to tell the various govern
ments, that our treaties with them had
come to an end, which restrict the
right of the United States to impose
discriminating customs duties on I'm!
ports entering the United States IN
foreign vessels This action is very
important to the future of American
shipping and President Wilson, thru
Secretary if State Colby, has refused
to give the notice to these foreign gov
ernments as he was directed through
the provisions of this law. This &C.
ton of the President is, as 1 sec it,
even more important than the effect
it has with regard to this one law. The
position he has taken in the matter
would, if carried out in other laws,
give him or any president the power
to make void or destroy any act of
congress passed in the regular way I'M
der the provisions of the Constitu.
tion.'
"What does the Constitution say"
asked Jack, as the machine rounded a
long curve and shot down lane thru
thick woods.
"The Constitution, replied ,iis
Uncle. Essays in Article vi that, This
Constitution, and the laws of the Uni
ted States which shall be made in pur-
suance thereof, and, all treaties made,
or which shall be made, under the
authority of the United States, shall
be the supreme law Of the land.'
"Now what does President Wilson 3
attitude in this meanH 1t means that
an act, passed by Congress and signed
by him, is not the supreme law of the
land as the Constitution says but must
give way to treaties with which it may
conflict. This is mighty important
mater and that is why I wanted to
talk to you about it.'
"Why did the President refuse TO
do this?' asked Jack.
"In his statement through Secretary
Colby he is said to have refused be-
cause he did not consider that the part
of the act referred to gave direction
which was an exercise of any constr
tutional power possessed by Congress.
Which means that he must think Con,
gress tried to take power wholly
given to him as President. He seems
to think that all matters concerning
treaties are for him alone to handle
but according to the best legal minds
of the country and the law which they
base their statements upon he is
wrong.
"The Constitution says he has the
power to make treaties by and with
the consent of the Senate but tho
Constitution does not give him an ex-
press power to bring them to close
In fact that great governing document
of our country says nothing about the
right to terminate treaties but many
decisions Of the Supreme Court have
settled the fact that Congress has that
right under the general powers of max
ing laws us granted it by the Consti-
tuition. In other words, Congress can
bring treaty to close by an act
which states plainly that the treaty
in question shall cease, and the only
way the President can bring an ex-
listing treaty to close is to make a
new one, 'by and with the advice and
consent Of the Senate You see, XII
dies, in this great country Of ours, q
treaty is much more than just con-
tract with another nation to do certain
4 - L. IA