Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-01-23
Investigation BY Commission.

The Senate foreign relations COM
mittee yesterday reported a resolution
to the Senate authorizing the appro-
priation of $4,000 for President Hoover
to use as he sees At in regard to Haiti.
It declined to follow the Presidents
recommendation that he be authorized to
appoint special commission to investi-
gate the island conditions, where
American Marines have been stationed
since 1915 to aid in maintaining order,
recommendation that the House APP
proved when 1t passed the resolution
which the Senate committee had be-
fore it.
Either the Senate committee believes
that the proposed investigation should
be made or it does not believe it should
be made. If it believes that the investi-
cation should not be made, why is it
not courageous enough to say so and
act accordingly? Why authorize the
appropriation of $4,000, knowing that
it is to be used by the President for the
purpose of such investigation? Or Is
the committee merely INDUCING, as has
been reported, in jabbing at the Presi-
dents idea that through the use of
commissions the executive department
Of the Government can be aided great
ly in solving some of the difficult prob
lens that come up for consideration?
Is the right of investigation to be re-
tanned exclusively by the Senate or the
House? The Senate is not yet ready to
deny that right to the other house Of
the national legislature.
There is nothing on record to show
that the Senate or any Of its commit
tees has been chary about conducting
investigations whenever its members
have sought such Investigations, or
have hesitated to spend the public funds
for such investigations. The Senate
has a perfect right to conduct investi-
cations, and some Of them have ac-
complished good for the country. But
is that any reason why the inquisitorial
powers should be retained exclusively
by the Senate? Does the Senate be-
lieve that the executive branch Of the
Government Is treading on its toes when
1t proposes to do a little investigating
on its own hook?
Senator Blaine of Wisconsin, when
the resolution authorizing the use Of
$4,000 by the President to study
Haitian conditions came Up on the
floor Of the Senate, denounced the plan.
I'VE elect q President" said SEN
ator Blaine, ION the theory that he
has some intelligence" and he added
that President Hoover should be able
to get all the information he needs
from the American oficials now In
Haiti. Mr.. Blaine's inference, of course,
Is that President Hoover does not have
the intelligence to obtain information
regarding Haiti. It seems to be the
thought Of the Senator from Wisconsin
that it would be Of no particular value
to have a fresh view of the Haitian
situation, from men who attack the
problem without previous bias.
President Hoover has made it quite
clear that he wishes to act on problems
which come up for decision after hay
ing all the light he can obtain. He has
defended the plan of using commits
sions to obtain the needed information
for intelligent action. It is a common
sense plan, which will appeal to the
American people generally. He must
go to Congress for funds to pay the
expenses Of such investigations, and
that Is what he has done In connec-
ton with the proposed study of Haitian
conditions. If the Congress grants him
the use Of the needed money, knowing
for what he proposes to use it, it really
matters little whether it provides
specifically for setting UP a commits
sion or not, unless some member has
1t IN his mind to attack the Executive
later for unwise expenditures of money