Omaha daily bee., 1917-01-25
senate REFUSES
TO DEBATE PEACE
TALK OF WILSON
Senator Cummins' Resolution
Providing for General Dis
cussion Sent to the
Calendar.
PLEA MADE BY SENATOR
Iowan Thinks Appeal Of Execu-
tive for Counsel Should Be
Answered.
TOO BUSY, SAYS MR.. STONE

washington, JAN %T'-!NStioiN ""
Senator Cummins' resolution to pro-
vide for exclusive consideration OF
President Wilson's peace address un-
til all senators have expressed their
views was deferred today and it was
sent to the calendar after it had been
debated two hours
Senator Cummins sought to obtain
unanimous consent for the resolution
to go over without prejudice, to como
up automatically again tomorrow, but
Chairman Stone OF the foreign re-
lations committee objected. Senator
Cummins pointed out that with the
resolution on the calendar it is pos
sible for him to move to take it up to-
morrow or any other day after the
senate routine morning business is
concluded.
Senator Stone wanted to refer the
resolution to the foreign relations
committee, but the presiding officer
finally ordered it to the calendar
In this situation 1t will require an
affirmative vote of the senate to- get
the resolution up again.
When Senator Cummins called up
his resolution, Senator Brandage of
Connecticut insisted upon quorum,
saying This matter touches on the
most important question that has ever
been before the United States SEN
ate"
Hopes for Early Vote.
When a call brought the required
number, Senator Cummins resumed:
II have no disposition to speak at
length on this resolution. | hope
sincerely that we may be able to reach
vote on it before the morning hour
comes to close. 1t will be observed
that the resolution doer not invite
or even properly permit :. discussion
at this time of the soundness or un-
soundness Of the purposes announced
in the presidents address. | will do
all | can do to hold the debate to the
point at issue. Whas is iti 1t is
this: Ought the senate on some day
in the near future do the country
justice OF informing the people and
advising the president OF our views
concerning policy OF the most vital
Importance to which he has told us
he is about to commit his govern
mcnt?
Matter Most Important.
"For the proper discussion, it mat
tiers not whether the president is right
or wrong. In either case his COM
munication is the most important ever
made by chief executive of the
United States. He so regards it. The
whole country so looks upon it and
foreign nations so accept it. He has
come to the senate frankly and boldly
and assume with all sincerity, say
ing that he owed it to us to disclose
to US the purpose in his mind. Why
did he owe it to us to disclose with-
out reserve the thought and purposes
in his mind?"
Senator Cummins said the president
himself had answered that question
when he referred to the senate as
council associated with me" in in
ternational affairs.
Council Should Speak. =
"Are we to sit dumb under this ap-
peal" asked the Iowa senator. THE
time to vote, it is true, has not ar.
rived, but is the council to remain
silent while public opinion is forming
and public judgment is being entered?
II have no authority to speak for
the president, but | am bound to be-
lieve those who oppose this resolu-
ton are not his true friends. 1t must
be he desires and expects the freest
and fullest debate on the tremendous
issue he has raised. What value are
we as counsel if we lock our lips and
allow him to go his way? do not
know whether any senator here in
tends to vote in opposition to this
resblution-I hope there is not. But
if there be anyone who does, | ask
him to reflect a moment, for it seems
to me opposition means doubt re-
specting either the sincerity or cour-
age of the president.
What Does President Mean2
"If we are not to render an opinion
in response to his invitation it means
that he chose the senate as a.conduit
through which to pass the new doc
trine to the ministers of foreign af-
fairs of the world and the newspapers
or as a setting for beautiful picture
skillfully painted. hardly believe
any one will put the president in the
position Of having so flagrantly mis-
used the privileges of the senate Or
else he means that he is one of those
unhappy persons, who feels safer in
company where he alone is armed
and can fear no shot save his alone.
am not challenging either the sin
cerity or the courage of the chief
executive" he explained. "If there
ever was time when that duty COM
manded--to give to the world pro-
posals that affect the integrity of the
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