New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1920-05-14
Measure Gave Congress
Supervision Over U. S.
Printing, and Message
Calls 1t Interference
President Notes
Tendency to Meddlc
Saws Censorship Would
Be Established Over
Executive Departments
By Carter Field

"
WASHINGTON, May 13.-Presi-
dent Wilson to-day blocked the plan
Of Congress to save tons of print
paper and huge printing bills by
granting the Congressional Commit
Zee on printing supervision over gov
srnment publications. In message
strongly resenting this "interfer-
snce" with the functions of the Exc
cutive, the President vetoed the leg
islstive appropriation bill, in which
the plan to eliminate few of the
hundreds of government publica-
tons and reduce the number printed
Of others had been Incorporated.
= The President also showed irrita-
tion against the Public Buildings
Commission, created by Congress in
an effort to effect economies in the
distribution of Office space by the
Executive departments.
The veto message was denounced vig-
orously by many Senator'S and members
Of the House to-day. Some of these
declared the President was influenced
by the desire of executive department
leads who objected to the curtailment
Of their publicity and printing bills.
It was also declared that some of the
department. heads also feared the build
ng commission lest it gradually COM
pei reduction in the amount of "tem-
porary buildings they are presiding
over and eventually, perhaps, even
force reduction in the number of "tem-
porary' employees who still crowd
Washington.
The President declared in his mes
age that the authority given the joint
committee on printing by the bill gives
the Ioint Congressional Committee on
Printing the power of Censorship"
over the executive departments of the
g9yefnment. He recfted a list Of legis-
alNe enactme nts, resolutions, pending
p!eces OF legislation and the activities
OF the joint committee itself as illus
lfatlve Of what he described as "a
gfewlng tendency which | am sure is
not fully realized by the Congress and
country"
Suggests Budget Bill
FOR that reason" he adds, 81 am
aklng the liberty of pointing out a
lew examples of an Increasing disposi
uon' as expressed in existing laws and
IN pending legislative proposals, to re-
strict the executive departments in the
tons" NAA0'
concerning the fact that one purpose
Of the provision in the appropriation
OIL to which he specifically objects as
an ehcroachment upon his authority
vas inserted for the purpose of eIimi.
mating waste in the issuance of denart-
Meht publications, the President ad
.Ssu congress to contine its activities
Ia the direction of economy to the en-
sesment Of an adequate budget Hill
Inc particular provision he obiected
~. ~ IN the bill specified "that here
slter no journal, magazine, periodical
!. similar government publication shall
0e printed issued or discontinued by
Guy oranch or officer of the govern
ment service unless the same sail
"i',: "a'e oeen authorized under such req
.asions as shall be prescribed bv the
,st, ,vlnt committee on printing, and such
paOnoatlons shall not contain anv
itDanmercla advertisements; provided
.s'.nef, that the foregoing provisions
uis section shall also apply to
aa,lme0graphng, multigraphing and
,.er ,sner processes used for the duplica
~. wa o. typewriter and printed mat
NJ W.; osher than official CORRESPONDENCE
@a once records"
Charges Encroachment
,,a .4e OBVIOUS effect Of this provision"
j.. resident SAID, would be to give to
sy.. .ommlttee power TO prevent the
sssssi sssutive departments from mimeo-
srpGalhg' multigraphing or otherwise
dss;aeg dpacasing any material which they
en- ,e' ana IN that way, power to de-
.n ,''aihe what information shall be Civ
,,..U.t ,,v lne people OF the country by the
ssaslve s,.s departments. The committee
smrYI,seh'iy smr,s would have power, for ex-
: r.tss, 70 prevent even the making of
oms;.1 copies Of anything other than
ord, ''' GORE spondence and Office rec
,on., uncut raising any constitu-
fan question, | think that this sec
Al ALL ~hlch would give the Congression-
n sv".. sv'ns committee on printing power
,vS3 SNerclse censorship over the execu-
on T'V, ;. depart Snts, is an encroachment
incnn .me luncuons of the executive and
AZ SJi'patlbie with good government"
70 regard the provision in question
syes".; sm INVASION of the province of the
8n@sse 8,.a.Ve and calculated to result in
safranted es.sa Interference in the proc
f, corss, S OF good government, producing
!, Tius'oh irritation and distrust"
hill ;i"s provision in the appropriation
,t". 'oomplalned of is the work of Sen
To need Smoot, of Utah, chairman of
'0'i' committee, who, in series of
tcOn,nued page eishD