Food Conservation Bill
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My dear Mr. President:
I am handinfg you herewith a copy of the Food Conservation Bill as it passed the Senate. It is my purpose to make an effort to get the measure in conference as soon as possible, with a view to expediting its final passage. I recognize the pressing necessity of its enactment into law at the earliest moment, and will lend my earnest endeavor to hasten action thereon.
I beg to direct your attention to Section 23 of the Bill. This amendment is wholly foreign to the purpoese of the measure, which in my opinion should deal alone with food control. Inasmuch as Section 23 is new matter sought to be engrafted on the Bill and has been given but little consideration by me, may I venture to ask from you an expression as to its value?
I would appreciate an early reply from you, which, if I deem it necessary, I would like the privilege of making public.
Sincerely yours,
AF Lever
THE WHITE HOUSE
WASHINGTON
My dear Mr. Lever:
I am very much obliged to you for your thoughtful courtesy in stating to me the circumstances of the present action on the Food Administration Bill, and I am particularly obliged to you for calling my attention to Section 23. I deem it my duty to express my opinion about that section and its effect upon the whole administration of the war very frankly indeed, since the public interest manifestly demands that I should do so.
Section 23 is not only entirely foreign to the subject matter of the Food Administration Bill in which it is incorporated but would, if enacted into law, render my task of conducting the war practically impossible. I cannot believe that those who proposed this section scrutinized it with care or analyzed the effects which its operation would necessarily have. The constant supervision of executive action which it contemplates would amount to nothing less than an assumption on the part of the legislative body of the executive work of the administration.
There is a very iominous precedent in our history which shows how such a supervision would operate. I refer to the committee on the conduct of the war constituted by the Congress during the administration of Mr. Lincoln. It was the cause of constant and distressing harassment and rendered Mr. Lincoln's task all but impossible.
I am not, I beg you to believe, in any way questioning what might be the motives or the purpose of the members of such a committee; I am ready to assume that they would wish to cooperate in the most patriotic spirit, but cooperation of that kind is not practicable in the circumstances. The responsibility rests upon the administration. There are abundant existing means of investigation and of the effective enforcement of that responsibility. I sincerely hope that upon the reconsideration of this matter both Houses of Congress will see that my objections rest upon indisputable grounds and that I could only interpret the final adoption of section 23 as arising from a lack of confidence in myself.
Cordially and sincerely yours,
WOODROW WILSON
Hon. Asbury F. Lever
House of Representatives