Show I I Other Points of View i e l COMMISSION COMISSION Congress Is Js beginning to consider tho the question of ot creating cre cre- aUnt a so-called so reconstruction commission or 01 com corn tho the point Immediately at Issue heln being whether the tha proposed body shall be a a. Joint committee of the two houses of Congress or a commission to be appointed b by the tho President with or without confirmation by th the Senate The parliamentary status of the proposal In the Senate Sen Sen- ate ato Is Js that It t has hns been referred to the tile committee on judiciary possibly to ascertain what authority Congress has In the matter anyway The reconstruction commit tees following the civil war had to do clo with tho the restora Lion tion of ot the tho southern states to the exercise of ot their constitutional constitutional constitutional con con- functions and under conditions which existed at that time federal action and therefore appropriate congressional committees were w were ero necessary I There arc are no such questions at Issue no now in this j I country and our only legitimate part palt in the reconstruction tion of or Europe is such friendly offices as our delegates to the peace conference ma may properly discharge as representing rep rep- I resenting an entirely Impartial people Tho The only reconstruction In this country concerns the uninterrupted employment of or labor Jabor and just at pres- pres ont nl the tha ot of labor ens to mn e n ia la 4 rn 6 h nL l i n V 0 JH of ot salable goods All AU apparently that Congress can do I In tho premises Is to provide for tor t tho h spee speediest lest possible release for tor useful work first of or the tho great Ireat arm army of or civil whose services are no longer long required and the officers soldiers and sailors now In training camps and secondly the repatriation of ot our soldiers In Europe as fast Cast as the they can bo be released from police duty and transportation transportation trans trans- be bo provided prodded Employment for tor those hitherto engaged In war work ork must depend on sales or contracts for tor merchandise to be bo made by Individuals The demands are aio urgent and for tho the present prices are arc high But contracts cannot be bo made factories reconstructed or labor employed until I there Is free tree trade In raw materials And that until peace Is declared rests with the President v who ho Is still In full Cull possession of his war powers To this end It Is 19 possible that a joint committee of ot Congress might have ha some somo Influence with the President It Is not certain but there Is a chance In the case of or a commission appointed b by the President President the Influence would probably be the other wa way At an any rate all there thero Is Js of reconstruction In to this countr country Is Js the restoration of or freedom to produce buy bur sell and transport articles of ot commerce It is possible that after acter all that Individuals can do Is done there ma may remain some things which can be done b by public authority although we do o not now see what the they can be At an any rate It seems common tense sense ense to get et off the lid and give o private enterprise a chance i and concern ourselves only with any residuum of or trouble when It develops de And It would seem belongs j 1 i rather to state and local governments I than to Con con- gress g Let a a. committee of ot tho the whole countr country see what It can do San San Francisco Chronicle I FJ |