Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1940-09-22
By Raymond p. Brandt.

He IS ShO1On signing tRe H1SLOflc
draft bill. A. P. Photo.
Mr.. Dill might also have recounted
that the recognition of other countries
that the President in reality can force
Congress to declare war has vastly
strengthened the Presidents hand in
conducting international affairs
In 1895 Cleveland threatened Great
Britain with war in defense of the Mon
roe Doctrine should Britain refuse to
arbitrate a boundary dispute involving
Venezuela and British Guiana. Both
houses of Congress unanimously sup
ported the President by voting an appro-
priation for an investigating commission.
The dispute was arbitrated before The
commission reported.
In 1902 Theodore Roosevelt called me
bluff of the German Emperor when he
suspected Wilhelm II planned to estab-
lish a naval base in Venezuela He
threatened to send part of the feet 10
defend the Monroe Doctrine, and he
Kaiser recalled his Ambassador who had
failed to warn him that the President
had meant what he said. In 1907,
against the advice of high ranking naval
officers, he sent the feet around the
world, with the primary purpose of i'm
pressing Japan. The trip had the de-
sired effect.
Wilson Used Force, Too.
President Wilson. both IN peace and in
war exercised his powers as Command
er in Chief with restraint He had the
Navy lombard and occupy Vera Cruz,
and he sent Pershing into Mexico to
catch Villa. On these affairs he Kept
Congress fully informed Before the
United States entered the World War.
he asked Congress in February, 1917 for
authority to arm merchant ships. In his
message he stated that he had no doubt
that he had this authority by the plain
implication of my constitutional duties
and powers" but that he preferred not
to act upon general implication
When a Senate hlibuster by a small
group of 'willful men" defeated his re-
quest, the White House announced mat
the ships would be armed without con-
gressional authorization.
After the declaration Of war. Wilson
relied both on his constitutional powers
as Commander in Chief and on statutory
delegations of power. Under the former
power he created the Committee on
Public Information which imposed a
voluntary news censorship and month
later appointed Herbert Hoover food ad-
ministrator with vast powers. BY execu-
tive order of May %. 1918, he formally
established the War Industries Board las
a separate administrative agency to act
under my direction" This board, al
though not authorized by statutory Jaw,
was able to exert great control over in
duStry because behind its requests"
stood the Presidents power to comman-
deer factories or withhold fuel and
transportation priorities.
Draft Law Continues Powers.
continuation Of these latter powers
is to be found IN the 1910 CONSUMPTION
law and the recently announced set of
principles of the National Defense Ad-
visory Commission.
Wilson showed far greater respect for
the Constitution, Congress and the
courts than did Lincoln. who conducted
the war against the Confederacy on his
power as Commander in Chief from the
firing on Fort Sumter on April II, 1861,
until the special session of Congress
which began July 4.
Lincoln let II weeks pass after Sumter
before calling Congress into special ses-
sion. During this time, although the
Constitution gives Congress the eXclu-
sive power to raise and support armies
Lincoln issued proclamation increasing
the size of the Regular Army and Navy
and calling for more than 10000 volun-
teers. In addition, he ordered 10 vessels
added to the Navy and directed the Sec
rotary of the Treasury, regardless of the
law. to advance $4,000 900 of public
money to three private citizens to pay
for necessary acquisitions.
Gave Report to Congress.
When Congress convened July 4, Lin
coin gave full report of what he had
done. He observed:
These measures, whether strictly
legal or not, were ventured upon under
what appeared to be popular demand
and public necessity, trusting then, as
now. Congress would readily ratify them.
1t is believed that nothing has been done
beyond the constitutional competency Of
Congress"
Before the special session adjourned it
passed a law providing that all the acts,
proclamations and orders of the Presi-
dent respecting the Army and Navy and
calling out or relating to the militia or
volunteers are hereby approved and in
all respects made valid . as II they
had been issued and done under the
previous express authority and direction
of Congress"
But Lincoln had not stopped at ignor
ing Congress. He felt that the Supreme
Court had no authority to protect citi-
zens from the military commissions by
writs of habeas corpus, although the
constitutional provisions relating to the
suspension of habeas corpus appear in
the article devoted to the legislative and
k~a -