The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1917-01-04
SENATOR LODGE PROVES
STUMBLE NG-DlOCK IN
|. PEACE MOVEMENTS WAY
His Outrageous Attack on President
Wilson's Effort Makes Europe
Think America Not United.
SAYS TT PLACES MONROE
DOCTRINE IN JEOPARDY
Secs In Effort to Bring Europe to Con-
ference Table u Violation OF .Amcri-
cas- Time Honored Policy.

Washington. Jan s.--A bitter de-
bate In the Senate over President Will
sons peace plans today further de-
layed congressional endorsement OF
the peace movement Caustic criti-
cism by Republican Senators, led by
Senator Lodge. ranking Republican of
the Foreign Relations Committee, and
an apparent deep-seated opposition
10 the peace plan in the Senate. led
administration leaders tonight TO the
conclusion that the pressure for con-
gressianaI endorsement had done more
harm than good.
Today's debate emphasized the very
point which the administration from
the beginning had sought to avoid.
the linking of the Presidents peace
note with the peace proposals of the
Teutonic powers Diplomatic Wash
ington tonight declared tina, even II
the Senate finally endorses the Presi-
dents position. the fight against the
endorsement resolution has already
made II clear to foreign nations that
his peace proposals have not the
unanimous support of the representa-
tive branch of the government which
shares with the President the conduct
OF foreign affairs
Lodges Assault.
Senator Lodge was outspoken in his
declaration that there ia wide
spread impression that the Presi-
dents peace note was designed and
timed to help Germany gain a peace
upon her own terms" He declared
that the peace move was a desertion
OF the time honored American policy
OF avoiding entangling alliances
abroad" and asserted that 1t placed
IN jeopardy the continued matnten-
ence OF the Monroe Doctrine.
Diplomatic developments went on
slowly under the surface. as the White
House and the State Department
awaited anxiously for the note Of the
entente allies in reply to the Presi-
dents peace proposals. The policy
of secrecy was apparent and secre-
tary Lansing fatty declined to dis
cuss the peace situation in any way.
Considerable speculation was arous-
ed by the arrival in Washington to-
night of Colonel F.. NJ. House, Presi-
dent Wilson'S confidential adviser
His activities in the peace movement
while completely shrouded in mys-
terry, have been accepted as important
He went at once to the White House,
where he is expected to stay for sew
eral days.
Senator Lodge created a sensation
In the Senate when he cited the IA
vorable comment of Count Won Bern
storff. the German ambassador. on
the Presidents note as a reason why
the Senate should not endorse the
move. The Massachusetts, Senator
read signed statement In which
Count Won Bernstorff lauded the Pres
idents move. and said:
An Unusual Endorsement.
1T Is. very unusual for an ambas-
sador to approve or disapprove the
utterance of the President Wash
ington demanded the recall Of Citizen
Genet early In our history for that
very reason. 1t presents a very svfong
objection to our endorsing and APP
proving a note that has been so wide
~ misinterpreted. 1t Is quite as pos
sible to be unneutral in the conduct
of peace negotiations an In war.
1.-THE importance OF this resolution
cannot be exaggerated. It projects
Congress into European politics. and
involves us in European affairs. There
is such a thing as good peace and
bad peAceHA3Ve do not desire peace
which 9 = breathing space