New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-01-05
The Hitchcock Resolution

been considered in the Senate. If the Sen
ator from Nebraska could not have been
restrained from offering such a resolution,
it ought to have been buried at once by a
reference to the Committee on Foreign
Relations.
Mr.. Stone, the chairman of that commit
tee, has got nd of many other trouble
some resolutions by hurrying them to his
committee norgue or moving TO lay them
on the table
If It is agreed by the Administrators
closest friends here that consideration of
the Hitchcock Endorsement of the Presi-
dents peace message was unwise and could
have only mischievous effects, why did
Senator Stone not step once more into the
breach and discreetly smother discussion?
It is entirely true that the Hitchcock
resolution, if passed, will represent only an
academic expression of opinion on the part
of the Senate. Had it taken the form of
condemnation Of the Presidents activities
as q peacemaker he would undoubtedly
have ignored it or shifted contenptuously
at it, lust as Mr.. Cleveland used to sniff
at advice given him on the conduct Of for
eign relations by hostile majorities in the
two branches of Congress. Once when the
House of Representatives passed reso-
luton expressing its view of what ought
to be done to clear up the muddle in Cuba
Secretary Olney tartly remarked that the
Administration expected to attach exactly
as much weight to the opinion of those
who voted for the House resolution as IT
would to the opinion of any other equally
sstimable body Of American citizens.
The President is not responsible to Con-
gress for his management of diplomatic
intercourse with foreign nations. He can
do what he pleases. In this field be is be
yond interference. He does not need Con-
gress's approval and can smile indulgently
at it's condemnation.
If he is fully satisfied of the soundness
of his foreign policy, an Endorsement from
Congress Of that policy ought to be mat
ter Of indifference to him. If he is not en-
tirely satisfied, he only exhibits weakness
when he solicits Endorsement.
We are now told from sources close to
the White House Executive Offices that the
Administration would have been Just as
much gratihed if Senator Hitchcock had
never introduced the commendatory reso-
luton. Yet it is almost incredible that
this resolution would ever have escaped in
ternment in Senator Stones committee
archives if the Democratic members of the
committee had not believed that the Presi-
dent was actually seeking a vindication
of his peace intervention policy at the
hands of Congress. The Democratic ma
iority in the Senate could have cut of
consideration Of the resolution. 1t did not
do so. 1t allowed the debate to continue
four or FIVE days, and every Democratic
Senator who took the floor has favored
giving the President the Endorsement which
he was supposed to be seeking.
The plain inference from what has beer
happening at the Capitol is that the Presi
dent, realizing that public sentiment here
had not responded cordially to his attemp
to force peace on the belligerents Gun
fortunately. in the interest Of one groul
and to the disadvantage of the othe
group, has been pulling party wires il
order to obtain what may be regarded a
- q vote of confidence. Fomenting such
q hollow demonstration Of approval was, o
" course. a confession of disquietude--a con
fesson that the President himself is no
unaware Of the estimate put on his effort
by the general public
If. after all, he doesn't care what tn
Senate thinks about his peace policy an,
never solicited or even welcomed the SHOW
of support which would be represented b,
the passage of the Hitchcock resolution
why did Senator Stone ever make his re
cent urgent appeal for action on a PROPOSE
ton which hadn't even been considered il
committee?
It is a mystery which must puzzle tn
Administrations defenders as much as j
puzzles us. We still believe that except il
so far as it excites the enthusiasm Of tn
small pro-German element in the Senat
the Hitchcock resolution has never had an,
strength there which was not due to tn
txertion of Administration influence.
the effort to pass this resolution is not IN
spired by a desire to offset the obvious
failure Of the Presidents peace maneuvre
then the whole proceeding in the Senate
this week has been a confused and proiit
less beating Of the air.
The sending Of the peace note unde'
circumstances which compelled an imme
date explanation Of it and then a with
drawsI Of that explanation. Vas grave