New-York tribune., 1918-10-29
Knox Accuses President of
Considering Personal
Ambitions First
Soldiers May Fight,
But Should Not Vote
Poindexter Says Executive
Assumes He Is Greater
Than Constitution

WASHINGTON, Oct. 2s.-Peace ne
gotiations and President Wilson's
statement asking his fellow country
men TO return a Democratic Congress
in the November elections were the
central points in a partisan debate in
the Senate to-day, which continued
throughout the session and blocked
plans for adjournment Of Congress to-
morrow over the elections.
The discussion which was opened by
Senator Knox, of Penn sylvania, Repub
lican. and former Secretary of State,
with an attack on the Presde ap-
peal TO the electorate, became general
among the Senator's present. Republ-
cans sharply criticized the President
Tor carrying on peace discussions with
the Central Powers and or enunciatlng
terms and principles of peace.
president Above Constitution"
Senator Knox said that the Presi-
dents appeal raised the question
whether the will Of the President or
the Will of the American people is to
determine the policy of this country
n ending the war, while Senator
Poindexter, of Washington, Repub-
lican, said the President assumed more
2QlUOliLS Iud4i - given uiAucl lLo
Constitution IN fixing peace terms.
The Washington Senator said no
greater service could be done Germany
fhan 10 bring about an armistice.
Democratic Senator'S vigorously de-
Tended the President, with Senator
Hitchcock. OF Nebraska, chairman of
lhe Foreign Relations Committee, the
chief spokesman. Answering the Re
publican contentious that in his third
principle against economic barriers
the President was attempting to in
ject free trade into the peace treaty
Senator Hitchcock read letter from
the President saying that his words
left every nation free to decide its
own internal economic policy, but that
tariffs adopted should apply to all ma
lions alike.
Would Be Kind to Germany
Before the Senate met a similar let
ter addressed TO Senator Simmons, of
North Carolina, had been made public.
Both Senator's Knox and Poindexter
said the letters clearly demonstrated
that the President favors admitting
Germany TO the proposed league of ma
tons as an equal partner" and with
assurances against discriminatory
treatment.
Senator Hitchcock said the Repub-
licea leaders for partisan political
NLUo dhC AuohiIS a QSAlOCldtS eaSlSlil PI
10 d.stort and misrepresent' the third
peace principle. He emphasized that
the Republican free trade" attack had
been withheld until the present po-
litical campaign.
This drew from Senator Lodge, Of
Massachusetts,, the Republican leader.
tae declaration that he had not in
dorsed all of the Presidents fourteen
principles and had especially opposed
the term which, he SAID, proposes TO
guarantee Turkish sovereignty.
In his criticism OF the President,
Senator Knox said:
"A few days ago the country was
astounded and shocked to find the
Chief Executive calling for the cleo
ton of Democratic Senators and Rep
resentatives precisely in order that
his individual authority should be un-
trammelled by counsel. l pass by the
unjust, not to say outrageous, i'm
plcations of that unique document Of
partisan politics.
"When there is talk of abdication
Of the Kaiser it is peculiar moment
to propose that the American peonle
should abdicate their right to have
opinions. or that the Senate and the
House should abdicate their sworn
and independent duties.
81 ask Senators whether it is the
will of the American people or the
will Of Woodrow Wilson that is to
determine the policy Of the United
States in the matter of ending this
war and Of founding a future peace.
ask them whether they propose to
be the mere registers of the will OF
one man. This is the issue before us.
1t Spells Autocracy
THE abdication of the constitutional
duty OF independent judgment by the
Senate or the House spells autocracy.
If Democratic members are for such
tlons have for the American people a
transcendent Importance"
During the war. Senator Knox said,
the President has spoken with the
greatest possible variety of ideas and
attitudes" on various questions. He
referred to the Presidents peace with
out victory address, and what he
termed readiness after the Lusitania
to compromise the U-boat barbarity in
return for half-hearted promise to
try 10 spare our ships
spirit Of partisanship and Sc
crecy" was charged against the Ad
mnlstration by Senator Knox, who
SAID Democrats and Republicans APP
parently suffered equally in this re-
Spect, except for one conspicuous case
ne did not name. The President, he
SAID. has held himself "aloof in isola-
non" from the peoples representa-
yves and repelled counsel.
Analyzing the Presidents peace
terms, Senator Knox said that con-
ceding the propriety of many, still the
pflnclpal object of the war is to place