Evening star., 1939-10-06
Vandenberg Terms
President's S Powers
In War Formidable
Murphy's List Of Lows
Held Demonstration of
Emergency Authority
BY the Associated Press.

| BY the Associated Press.
Senator Vandenberg, Republican,
of Michigan, today described as
formidable" a list of laws which
Attorney General Murphy told the
Senate contained powers that Presi-
dent Roosevelt might exercise dur
ing war or emergency.
1T is a clear demonstration of the
fact that there is a vast quantity of
floating power that may be used In
war or emergency" Senator VAN
denberg said.
The Michigan Senator, author of
a resolution which requested the At
torney General to inform the SEN
ate Of presidential emergency
powers, conceded that Mr.. Murphys
refusal to express an opinion on
their extent was probably sound
under the precedents."
Mr.. Murphy merely cited to the
Senate the titles Of about 100 stat
utes granting powers to the Presi-
dent. He said the list was incom-
plete and could not be finished ex-
cept by long study.
ITO comply with this resolution
would require me to give an opinion
to the Senate on legal phases Of the
subject matter of the resolution"
Mr.. Murphy wrote. Historically, he
said, Attorneys General had ruled
they had no authority to give legal
opinions to Congress
Broad Range Of Subjects.
The statutes listed by the Attor-
ney General covered a broad range
OF subjects, some of them dating
back to the earliest days of the Re-
public. while others were enacted
during the first years of the Roose-
velt administration.
One Of the latter would authorize
the President to suspend or amend
rules and regulations applicable to
communications upon proclama-
tion by the President that there
exists war or threat of war or a
state of public peril or disaster or
other national emergency, or in or
der to preserve the neutrality Of
the United States
A 1888 act would give the Presi-
dent broad powers over the opera
ton Of the Federal Reserve System
in period of emergency.
Meanwhile, Representative Taber.
Republican, of New York, a mem
Der of the House Appropriations
Committee. said he was amazed"
at President Roosevelts action in
ordering expenditures for Army and
Navy housing and disqualification
without congressional approval.
He contended the President had
with deliberate intent chosen to
ignore statutory provisions against
budgetary deficits and has presumed
to exercise the right of control over
appropriations which the Constitu-
ton vests solely in Congress-"
Push Quarters for Men.
The President told reporters Tues
day that despite what he termed
conflict Of laws, the Government
was going ahead with construction
Of temporary quarters and hospital
AoSAAASASo AVA dPpA
men being added to the armed
forces.
Mr.. Roosevelt said he had taken
the matter up with Controller Gen.
eral Fred Brown and that Congress
would be asked next year to provide
money for the facilities.
mo dangerous emergency exists"
Representative Taber said in q state
ment distributed by the Republican
National Committee. But even If it
did, Congress is in session, ready to
receive and act promptly upon any
message from the President.
Can 1t be that the President, al
ready possessed of extraordinary
power which the Congress has sur
rendered to him. is seeking to extend
his authority still further by usurp-
ing powers which even the Congress
under the Constitution cannot sur
render? Is the President seeking
to establish some strange, new pre-
cedent looking forward to some time
in the future when he may hope to
be able to get along without Con-
gress altogether?"