Indiana daily times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1914-1922, 1922-02-23

T.
WASHINGTON, Feb. 232Preside Z.
Harding's decision to have the Repub-
lican Administration assume fun respOn-
sibility for the negotiations incident tc
the funding of the allied war debt owing
to the United States, has drawn Demo-
cratic fire in the Senate. The President is
charged with having ignored the rights
Of the minority party TO participation IN
the Government and was reminded OF
Republican attacks on President wilson
for denying adequate presentation for
the Republicans.
Senator Simmons OF North Carolina,
rap4lng Democratic member Of the
Finance Committee, to which the HAP
ding nominations were referred, pre-
yoked the debate. He said he had no crit
icism, whatever. of the personal char
acter of any of the Ave Republicans
chosen by the President, nor would he
seek to block their confirmation by the
Senate. But Mr. Simmons said he was
disappointed keenly. and he felt ma
jority of the American people would share
his disappointment, that Mr.. Harding had
seen fit to ignore the Democratic party in
naming the commission.
SHARP CONFLICTS OF
OPINION DEVELOPED.
at was well known that the discus
sion here developed sharp conflicts Of
opinion" Mr.. simmons said, especial
" with respect to the extension OF the
time for payment. When IL came 10 a
vote this chamber divided on party.
lines. Under these circumstances, in
of that clear division, It does seer
President ought to have seen the f
and propriety Of allowing the Op7o
to have at least one representative c
commission"
The President having named
Cabinet oficers-Secretaries Hughes. MtWT
lon, and Hoover-and two members Of
gresszSenator Smoot ef Utah, and
Representative Burton, Of Ohio-Senat0r
Walsh, Democrat, Of Montana, following
SimmonsyS raised the issue Of the con-
stitutional right Of Messrs. Smoot and
Burton to serve.
The Senator from Montana contended
that passage of an act Of Congress pro-
viding for appointment OF two members
Of Congress did not affect the con-
stitutional prohibition against their
eligibility. He expected TO have some
thing more to say on that subject when
the question Of their confirmation came
before the Senate.
CANNOT SERVE WHEN
POLICY VESTED.
THE subject was considered in detail
by a committee in the House OF which
Mr.. Speaker Henderson was chairman"
Mr.. Walsh said They laid down what
always has seemed TO me the correct rule,
that there was no constitutional obJec-
ton to service on a commission whose
authority did not extend beyond investi-
cation and report to Congress nor did it
cover appointment on commissions TO Ne
gOtiate treatiessA fterward to be approved
Esr RgTF ha wa h.
nshed they could not serve when Con-
gress vested ira commission powers to
bind the Government to any policy as
they then became executive officers"
Senator Borah Republican OF Idaho,
drew attention of Senator Walsh TO in
Quiry and conclusions Of former Senator
HOar of Massachusetts,, who took the pO-
sition members might be appointed as a
matter Of policy. but they could not
serve under the Constitution. r.
The fact that no Democratic memt
the Senate voted for passage of
eign debt funding bin was
Senator Kellogg. Republican or
nesota as justification for the nc
by the President in appointing none
the commission created under authority
Of that act.
KELLOGG EXCUSE DRAWS
FIRE OF WILLIAMS.
The Kellogg argument drew fire from
Senator Williams, Democrat of Mississippi
who declared he had been an active sup
porter of the legislation and had urged
the Senate to give the executive broad
authority to conduct the funding nego-
tiations.
IF had known the matter was TO DO
committed exclusively to the Republican
party instead of to the whole country, l
would not have been SO liberal In my at
titude toward the Administration" Mr..
Williams stated.
Senator Hefin, Democrat Of Alabama,
declared IF Woodrow Wilson had sent
such a commission rs this TO the Senate
you Republicans would be bobbing up
and down around here like a cuckoo on
clock Copyright 1922, by Public Led
ger Company.