Show MADE FOGIES GASP i I WILSONS WILSON'S PLAN TO VISIT THE CAPITOL OCCASIONALLY OCCASIONALLY Y BREAKS PRECEDENT NO REASON HE SHOULDN'T Any President Who Sought to Influence Influence ence enco Legislation Could Do It Much More Privately by Conferences In White House By GEORGE CLINTON LINTON Washington President President Wilsons Wilson's hint that he may go on occasion to the capitol where he can be in In- touch with legislation created its ten days' days stir stir and it will create another ten days days' stir and perhaps perhaps' more if It after the extra session convenes he carries car ries out his hinted intention n. n It does not seem that there would be anything to create special Interest let alone undue excitement in the expressed c desire of the president of the tho United States to sit for a few few- hours each week under the same some fome of ot the the capitol where he he would bra br in easy reach of at such members as might like to him liim or a all as he pe might like Jike to consult but bul bu anything which breaks precedent in WashingTon Washington Washing- Washing Ton ton raises comment stir and frequently frequent frequent- ly strong opposition There is nothing nothing noth noth- ing in the Constitution or laws of or the United ed States to t prevent the president pres pres- ident from making his office anywhere anywhere anywhere any any- where that he wishes in the city of Washington and If his desire is to have a branch office In the capitol nothing can be done to tv prevent it and very likely there is no reason except that of at tradition and precedent why it should be be- prevented pre Hat Hal No Ulterior Motive No one In Washington has nas been neen found to say that he thinks for an Instant Instant instant in In- stant Mr Wilson has any intention of ot coming over to the capitol to make his will dominant t They think that tha his desire in the matter Is entirely democratic and that it Is born of a wish to be in a closer and a n more responsive responsive re re- touch with the members than would be the case If it he spent all his time In the White House while congress congress congress con con- gress Is In n session This feeling atan of at an utter utter- absence of any untoward In in- In on Mr Wilsons Wilson's s part has not I however prevented criticism and it has come not only from members of opposition parties but from members members' I of his own party part The thing probably will prove after a n little to have been only a tempest In a teapot If It the executive authority ever Is used wrongfully to Influence legisla legislation tion I ij fE can be so used at the White WhiteHouse WhiteHouse WhiteHouse House Just as readily as at the cap cap- Itol In fact tact the observer of years In Washington knows perfectly well that if a president wants to make his will felt he ho Is is' much more liable to attempt It at a distance rather than from tram the capitol where all the members members members mem mem- bers In a way would be watching him Every day of the parts of the year when congress Is in session scores of senators and r representatives prese go to the White House some on their own errands errands errands er er- er- er rands bent and others called caned there thereby thereby thereby by the president t who wishes to consult consult con sult suit with them upon matters of legis legis- I lation I When the president wants to see a member alone he takes him Into his private office and closes the doors What passes there no one knows unless unless un un- un less the president or his visitor chooses to disclose it ft and the visitor never will disclose it unless the presIdent president president pres pres- ident gives him permission for such conferences always are held to tobe to be con con- Federal Protection for Birds By an act of the last congress just three days before adjournment adjournment adjournment adjourn adjourn- ment the the- whole system of Jf protection protection protection tion of the wild birds of at the United States was changed This bill go Into effect at once but the exIsting existing state laws will remain as they are until until un un- til the department of agriculture has prepared new federal regulations for forthe forthe forthe the governing of the fhe he protection of game and insectivorous birds in all sections of the Union Union- This matter Is of Interest to every sportsman and every market man to every farmer and to every bird lover no matter In what state of at the Union he be lives JIves It should be said that the federal laws will have bave no control of non non mi birds whether they be game birds or song birds This limits the tho action actton of or the law Jaw very little however because comparatively few rew birds remain re le- maIn within the borders of any anyone one state through the twelve months of the year One or tw two examples may m-ay mayI I given however of birds which probably must depend hereafter for forthe forthe forthe the protection of their lives and of their families from actual extinction on the action of or state legislatures The ruffed grouse called the partridge ill in many states and the pheasant in other states elates Is a a. a non non-m non migratory y bird at least It tt probably will be so decided de do- tided to be by the department of agri agrI- culture The lI prairie chicken also Is non migratory and it probably also must depend upon state protection but nearly all the other birds of or the United States game Insectivorous and tong song are migratory and hereafter will willbe willbo b bo be protected by Uncle Sam Scope of the thc Measure Here is a section of the bill which shows definitely what It is Intended Intend d to do All AH wild geese wild swans brant wild ducks snipe plover woodcock rail raU wild pigeons and all other migratory migratory migratory migra migra- tory game and Insectivorous birds which in their northern and southern migrations pass through or do not remain remain remain re re- re- re main permanently the tho entire year within the borders of at any state or territory shall hereafter be eo to be within the custody and protection protection tion of the government of tho the United States States and shall shall not be destroyed or taken contrary to regulations hereinbefore hereinbefore here here- provided It has been found by the agricultural agricultural tural department that the game laws of at the different states do not protect in all cases Some 0 the states have put protective laws lawa on their statute books giving protection n to certain birds for certain periods but put In many of or these cases cases' It is found that the birds do not occur in the states during during dur duro ing the periods In which protection Is provided In other words there Is no protection at all As s things are to be in the future futuro the department of agriculture will adopt regulations prescribing and fixing fixing fix fix- ing closed seasons having due regard to the zones of temperature breeding habits and times and lines of migratory migra migratory tory flight thereby enabling the department department department de de- to select and designate suitable suitable suit suit- able districts for different birds of the country and it shall be unlawful to shoot or by any device devise k kill Il or seize and anti capture migratory birds within the protection of thi this law durIn during say said Ij closed season and any p son pel-son who shall violate any of ot the provisions or ort t regulations of ot this law for tor the protection protection pro pro- pro protection of at migratory birds shall g guilty of a misdemeanor and alid shall be fined not more than or imprisoned o ed not more than ninety days or both in tho the discretion of the court Support Almost Unanimous The Influences for this federal legislation legis legis- lation for the protection of at birds which It was waa feared rapidly were becoming becoming becoming be be- coming extinct were exerted from from every state in Jn the Union There was waa no sectionalism In it and few persons raised the plea of states' states rights in order order or or- I der to defeat the measure It is said that public opinion all over the United States had become so aroused because of at the diminishing game birds and song birds that all quibbles were put aside and virtually a unanimous sentiment sentiment sentiment senti senti- ment ment exerted itself for lor the measure There were only fifteen votes against It in the house of ot representatives representatIve National and state granges s state sate ate arid and local game protective associations bird s societies of at all kinds and other ther organizations worked for this measure It is la declared to be the most Important event in the history of bird life lite conservation in the United States wilson LIKes Tafts Taft's Idea iaea There is a belief bellet among Democratic Demo Demo- Democratic cratic members of congress that Wilson may take up the suggestion made by ex ex dent Taft and urge legislation which legislation which will enable his cabinet officers to appear appear appear ap ap- ap- ap pear on tl the e floor of at the two houses of congress when matters pertaining to their departments are under consideration consideration consid consid- to answer questions and to give information which may enlighten on the points at issue Such a course would be in entire keeping with Mr Wilsons Wilson's Intimation that he may go to the capitol on occasion oc OCt occasion casion to be within easy reach of representatives representatives rep rep- and senators who care care to to consult him It Is all a part of a plan to bring the administration and congress congress congress con con- gress closely together In conference on matters of l legislation Mr Tafts Taft's idea was that if It the members mem memo bers hers of at his cabinet could go to the house and the senate especially at times when appropriation bills were under consideration the actual need for money In this case or that case would be more clearly presented and the doubts of at members who did not know how to vote could be cleared up and a more intelligent consideration n could be given to each item In every appropriation bill bm The former president did not Intend intend In in- tend however to limit limit the appearance appearance appear appear- ance of members of at the cabinet to appropriation ap p occasions He wanted congress congress con can g gress ess to provide that whenever a cabInet cab cabnet Inet net officers officer's presence seemed advisable advisable ble he be might be summoned given a seat on the floor and allowed to answer answer an an- all questions and to vouchsafe such opinions as suggested themselves themselves them them- selves to him as being pertinent to the subject mater maher in hand Influence Is Feared It Is Is' the fear of some congressmen that the admission of ol cabinet memo mem members bers to the floor would bring about a II condition of administration influence with the legislative branch and that this ought to be avoided especially tn in n a Democracy It was the fear of this same Influence which has made many members of congress oppose the tile suggestion of Mr Wilson that he might come to the capitol himself on occasion a suggestion which has been treen treated of In another dispatch There Is any amount of ol personal persona Influence In fluence used sed to sway legislation in congress and some of this personal Influence has bas been condemned by the public and the press ever over since the first congress convened This influence ence enco Is that of at the lobby which In times past and even today has a strong representation In Washington The lobbyists are nothing like Uke as as Importunate Im- Im as once they were nor dc do they carry on their Importunities with the same disregard of ot publicity and of the actual decencies s as once they did didA A good many members of or congress say th that t the legislative lobby which comes here bere from a distance Is more Inimical to Democratic Institutions InstItution than the presence of or the president and his cabinet am officers cera In the capitol pos possibly sibly could be but those who are op 01 opposed opposed posed to the appearance of at the representatives of at the administration sa say the constitution draws the line lIm sc st sharply between the executive and the legislative branches that the Hn line lIn should not be crossed even In appear ance 1 |