Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-01-11
PRESS SUPPORTS
HOOVER'S ACTION
Solid Opinion He Is Right,
Though Some Blame Him
for Row.

The following digest OF editorial
opinion on the Senate effort TO
recall the Pot0eT Commission dp-
pointed has been received By
The Star:
Philadelphia Public Ledger:
The long story of the United States
Senate's attempt to assert It's authority
over the Executive branch Of the Gov
eminent contains many examples of
arrogant assumption. but the limit
would seem 70 have been reached with
It's demand that President Hoover re-
turn for reconsideration the names of
three Federal Power Board >Commis-
sioners, whom 1t recently confirmed to
ONCE.
No one expected Mr.. Hoover to yield
to the Senate's contention. To do so
would have encouraged the Senate to
adopt q similar dictatorial attitude
toward the policies and procedure Of
the Interstate Commerce Commission,
the Tariff Commission, the Farm Board
and all other governmental bodies
whose membership 1t confirms. His re-
fuSal will be widely commended. From
the practical viewpoint the Senate has
INDUCED in an idle gesture. But as a
symptom of It's increasing spirit of
AAAokkOOA1AOAA
the Executive 1t Is most disquieting.
Baltimore Sun:
There is not much doubt that the
President has the Senate by the short
hair In this matter of the attempted
recall Of the confirmation of three
members of the Power Commission.
The whole affair gives no credit
either to the Senate or to the President,
and offers no cheering prospects to the
people.
So far as we can see, nobody deserves
any congratulation. The Senate has
rather made a spectacle OF itself, and
Mr.. Hoover has won another of the kind
of victories that scare sensible men to
death.
New York Herald Tribune:
In undertaking to void its confirma-
ton of three members Of the Federal
Power Commission the Senate has sur
passed all It's previous records OF petit
ness, stupidity and attempted usurpa-
ton of power. For the President to yield
to this dictation would be to weaken
the fundamental principle under which
our Government Is divided into three
branches-executive, legislative and
judicial.
To assume that the Senate may recall
q confirmation after the President has
been notified and the oflcial commits
stoned Is to grant 1t the power to invade
the field Of the executive. It would as
sumo . power Of recall or dismissal at
any time over any ofacial whose APP
pointment Is subject to confirmation by
the Senate. Such . condition, carrying
with It the possibility Of Senate control
over the acts Of the Presidents ap-
pointees, is unthinkable. II the A MEM
bers Of the Senate who voted afhrma-
lively on this proposition really believed
they were acting within their legal
rights it Is a sad commentary on their
intelligence. We prefer to believe that
Senator Walsh Of Montana and some
others know very well that the only way
officials once commissioned after con-
flrmation may be removed is by dismis-
sal by the President or through i'm
parchment.
But what may be said of their stupid
typ A man may not be blamed for
stupidity-although the Senate Is no
place for such. What must be said of
the public servant who will waste five
days of the all-too-short time before
the adjournment Of Congress playing
politics, seeking to embaTrasS the Presi-
fake reputation for guarding the in
terest Of the peopleS
Cleveland Plain Dealer:
In voting to reconsider its confirmA-
ton of three members of the Federal
Power Commission, the Senate Is prob
ably skating on thin legal ice. Its &C
ton can hardly be conceived as more
than O gesture Of protest. Virtually it
asserts q power of senatorial recall. II
power commissioners confirmation can
be called back because the Senate does
not like what they do after they take
once, what would prevent the Senate
from seeking by the same method to
Dust the Chief Justice or any other
presidential appointee subject to Sen
ate confirmation?
But If the Senate's action is open to
criticism on legal grounds, its timelineSs
as a gesture of protest will lead many
to defend the Senators who changed
their vote.
1t is a blow at the power lobby.
which for years has been seeking to
direct legislative and administrative &C
ton and to infiusBce public opinion.
San Francisco Chronicle:
One had only to read the roll call
on the resolution to apprehend the true
significance Of the Senate's attempt 70