Jasper County Democrat, Volume 23, Number 14, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 15 May 1920 — WILSON IN VETO HITS CONGRESS [ARTICLE]

WILSON IN VETO HITS CONGRESS

Returns to House the Executive, Legislative and Judicial Measure. BILL GARRIES $104,008,C00 Declares One Section of Act Would Give Congress a “Censorship" Encroaching on Executive Functions of the Government. Washington, May 14.—President Wilson vetoed the legislative, executive and Judicial bill. The president said he returned the bill because of the section putting under congressional control ull government implications. This section, the president said, would give congress a “censorship” encroaching on executive functions. As soon as the veto message was received at the capitol and before it was presented to the house, Chairman Good ofA' appropriations committee, other Republican leaders with a view to undertaking a vote on the veto. Carries $104,000,000. This measure carries the annual appropriations for the legisatlve, executive and judicial branches of the government, and its repassage by congress will be necessary. The total carried by the bill is $104,000,000. The section of the bill at which the veto was aimed provides that “no Journal, magazine, periodical or other similar government publication” shall be issued except under regulations prescribed by the congressional Joint committee on printing, and a proviso is added including in the category “mimeographs, multigraphing and other processes used for the duplication of typewritten and printed matter, other than official correspondence and office records.” Encroaches on Executive. “The obvious effect of this provision,” said the president, “would be to give to that committee power to prevent the executive department from mimeographing, multigraphing or otherwise duplicating any material which they desire, and in that way power to determine what information shall be given to the people of the country by the executive departments. . . . Without raising any constitutional question, I think that this section, which would give the congressional joint committee on printing power to exercise censorship over the executive departments an ■encroachment on the functions of the executive and incompatible with good government. “I am in entire sympathy with the efforts of the congress and the departments to effect economies In printing and in the use of paper and supplies, but I do not believe that such a provision as this should become law. Favors Budget System. “If we are to have efficient and economic business administration of government affairs the congress, I believe. should direct its efforts to the control of public moneys along broader lines. . . . This can be accomplished by the enactment of legislation establishing an effective budget system which I have heretofore urged. “The congress and the executive should function within their respective spheres. The congress has the power and the right to grant or deny an appropriation, or to enact or refuse to enact a law; but once an appropriation is made or a law is passed the appropriation should be administered or the law executed by the executive branch of the government.” The president’s action caused genuine amazement in congress. Members of congress insisted that the provision to which the president took exception was inserted only with a view to insuring economics in governmental expenditures. It could not be construed as an attempt at usurping presidential authority, they contended. President Wilson, in his however, differs radically from this view.