A COUNCIL FOR CO-OPERATION

Criticism of the Administration often calls forth accusations of disloyalty and failure to support the Government. Whoever ventures to oppose the President runs the risk of being termed a friend to Germany. Many opinions, to be sure, are expressed because of political opposition or personal prejudice, yet some arise from patriotic motives. To distinguish the useless and even disloyal criticism from the genuine is often difficult. There is, however, a fundamental difference in that the latter is directed entirely to the benefit of the nation, and is usually the sentiment of many people. In advising a policy which Mr. Wilson opposes we may be accused of falling to stand behind him, but, if so, it is because interest in the nation's success prevents.

A bill to establish a supreme war council will be discussed in Congress today. Although the Administration objects to its passage, yet many men in both House and Senate favor the measure. The plan, in short, is to establish a board of about three members, which will supervise and co-operate our commercial and industrial activity. Meetings, which the President is expected to attend, will be held very frequently. Although this council is intended to be superior to the Cabinet, in that it coordinated the activity of the secretaries with that of the specially-appointed regulators such as Mr. Hoover and Dr. Garfield, yet it will not interfere with the regulation itself. As a connecting link between the Chief Executive and his assistants, it will relieve one of much difficult, management, and unify the efforts of the others.

Such a measure is the logical remedy for our present confusion. Instead of allowing coal to become mixed up with railroads and the manufacture of necessary articles to be checked thereby, this board will see to it that industry works in harmony with transportation. Even though a regulator may have managed very efficiently some branch of our war activities, yet we cannot with any reason expect him also to have adjusted this to the plans of all the other controllers. That is a task which requires a supreme council. Only by establishing one can we obtain that unity of effort which at present is lacking.