New-York tribune., 1920-06-19
Repeal of War
Laws s Killed
By Pocket Veto
President Refuses to APP
prove Measure Designed
to End Authority Under
Emergency Legislation
p wer Bill Is Signed
Executive Declines to Sane.
ton Commission to In.
vestigate Paper Crisis

From The T,ibtlne's Washington Bureou
WASHINGTON, June 1s.-The reso-
luton passed by Congress repeating
most of the wartime emergency legis-
lation was killed by a pocket veto at
the, White House, it was announced
to- day.
Acting on an Interpretation CT the
Constitution given recently by the At
torney General, which held that meas
ures became law if signed by the Presi-
dent within ten days after passage, re
gardless of whether Congress had ad-
turned, Mr.. Wilson has signed" eight
bills and resolutions that were pressed
through Congress in the last few days
of the session. Six died with the
elapsc of the ten-day period.
1t was announced at the White
House that the President had signed
the water power bill, which permits
leasing Of water power sites by the
government and opens the way to a
100 per cent increase in the country's
industrial energy. The measure had
been in controversy In Congress for
ten years.
Statement on Power Bill
In announcing the Presidents ac-
ton on the water power bill the White
House made the following statement:
"The President, having been advised
by the Attorney General in formal
opinion that the adjournment has not
deprived him Of the ten days allowed
by the Constitution for the eonsidera
ton of a measure, but only in case Of
disapproval of the opportunity to re
turn the measure to the House. ir
which it originated, has signed the bill
within the tenday period, of course.
Five Of the other measures signe(
!! extend the time for bridge construc
tlon contracts; one authorizes the en-
listment in the army of non-English
speaking citizens and aliens, and one
IS private grant Of money TO REIN
burse a loss.
The President did not sign the I'm
derwood bill creating a commission t(
take up the print paper and pulp woot
question with Canada.
The water power bill is generally
considered one of the principal enact
ments of the Sixty-sixth Congress
Following the adjournment of Con.
gress, when it was announced Presi
dent Wilson had not signed the bill
much disappointment was expressed
President Wilson withheld his sig
nature. saying he wanted time to make
thorough investigation Of the pro
visions. Then Attorney General Palmer
gave his opinion that the President haC
ten days in which to consider the bill
Under the terms of the bill, com.
mission, composed of the Secretary Of
| War, the Secretary of Agriculture ano
the Secretary of the Interior, is au-
| thorzed to lease up to fifty years the
water power rights on all public lands
forest reservations, Indian reserva-
tions and on navigable streams. AT
the end of the lease period, the gov
ernment has the option of taking over
the plants that have been built at ar
appraised valuation, of releasing them
or of leasing to any concern the com
mission chooses, with the lessee pay
ing the appraised valuation.
Under no circumstances does the
franchise granted in the lease become
the property of private individuals OF
companies for the purpose of sale ol