The Bridgeport evening farmer. [volume] (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1866-1917, 1917-01-22

Vice President Marshall laid be-
fore the Senate at IL o'clock letter
from President Wilson saying that he
had an important communication re-
Iating to foreign affairs which he
deemed it his duty to lay before the
senate and which he would like to
present in person.
The senate then adopted a reso-
luton by Senator Stone to hear the
president at / O'Clock.
Senator Stone explained that the
matter as he understood it would not
require an executive session.
Vice President Marshall, on motion
of Senator Stone, appointed a COM
mittee of five senators to notify the
president that the senate would be
glad to receive him at / o'clock and
later to escort him to the chamber.
Senators Salisbury, Stone, Overman,
Galinger and Kenyon were named.
President Wilson's letter, dated Sum
day, was as follows:
my dear vice president:
There is communication con-
cerning the foreign relations of
the country which I think it my
duty to make to the senate and
WHICH L WOulO very HIuCIl like "
make in person. / would be very
much obliged if I might be afford
ed the opportunity to do so to-
morrow the 22nd, if it can be
arranged without Inconvenience
to the senate.
II know of no other than this
informal way in which to convey
this wish to the senators.
~
the chairman of the committee on
foreign relations, about it and
have asked him to confer with
you.
'"Cbrdially and sincerely yours,
WOODROW WILSON,"
The first reading of the Presidents
letter found only a half dozen Sena-
tors in the chamber and when q
quorum had been secured Senator
Gallinger, Republican leader, asked
that it be read again.
When the clerk had finished, Sena-
tor Gallinger said:
''I will venture to inquire of the
chairman Of the committee on for
eign relations whether, since it is
matter touching our foreign relations,
we shall be addressed in executive or
open session."
''It is not a matter, as I understand
it," replied Senator Stone, that needs
to be considered in executive session."
eff the Senator is satisfied" said
Senator Gallinger, "I will raise no OBJ
lection We have been SO careful,
h however, and the suggestion has been
made so often that we be careful in
matters Of foreign relations, that I
wondered about it"
No other president has addressed
either branch of Congress separately
since Thomas Jefferson did in 1901.
IN fact, no president addressed Con-
,ess in joint session since that time
until President Wilson revived the
custom in 1913.
1t was announced that the Presi-
dent would discuss an outline of the
attitude of the United States toward
future arrangements for the perma-
nent maintenance of peace and the
question Of the part the United
States shall taRe in the proposed
league for the preservation of peace.
It was said that possibly no pending
questions between the United States
and other nations would be taken up.
The announcement was made by
Secretary Tumulty following a brief
with the President.
Although no official explanation OF
The Presidents action was given in
advance, it became known to Senator
Stone and other Senators in touch.
with foreign affairs. that the Presi-
lent felt that the time had come when
he Senate, which is clothed with the
.reaty making power, should be in
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