The Chattanooga news. [volume] (Chattanooga, Tenn.) 1891-1939, 1918-12-03
PROVE VEHICLES
OF FSOMEDEBATE
Believed to Be Purpose Of
Resolutions Regarding
Presidents Trip.
NOT CONSIDERED SERIOUS
Presidents Message Not a
Complete disappointment
to Republicans.

Forgetting all Otner tasks DeIOTo III
the senate centered it's attention to-
day on two resolutions connected
with President Wilson's trip abroad.
The first. the Cummins resolution,
would send a select senate commit
tee to Paris to watch the peace con-
ference and report upon 1t to the
senate.
The second, the Sherman resolu-
ton, would declare the presidency
vacant, and call upon the vice-presi-
dent to assume the office of the
chief executive for the remainder oi
President Wilson's term.
1t was believed today that neither
of these resolutions would pass tn,
senate, but both will prove vehicles
of debate that will allow senators t.
give expression to many sentiments
hey have entertained, but not dis
cussed during the war period.
Refused Recognition.
Vice. President Marshall refused to
recognize Senator Sherman, when he
sought to Introduce his resolution
yesterday. The resolution will be put
In today, and will be sent OFF with a
speech by the Illinois senator. Sem
ator Knox Is expected to seize the
opportunity to deliver speech upon
the responsibility Of the senate for
treaties entered into by the govern
ment. which he has had In prepara-
ton ever since the last session ad-
journed.
The insistence OF democratic sena-
tors upon adjournment Immediately
after the president read his message
to congress yesterday. has given re-
.publicans time to think over the
presidents statements, with the re-
suit that some who were expected
to speak yesterday will not enter into
the debate. Others who wish to air
partisan views have come to the
conclusion that all the speech max
ing should not be done on one day.
Todays debate, therefore, will be
only a starter.
Promises Early Report.
The Cummins resolution Is before
the senate foreign relations commit
tee today. Senator Hitchcock. chair
man of the committee. has promised
Senator Cummins that the committee
will make some kind of report upon
1t, probably on Wednesday.
l...1ki q ntS4k kted that, the fdSsiGn- pa-
lations com jhittse VIII simply put the
resolutions Up to the senate, report
ing upon 1t neither favorably nor un-
favorably. Senator Cummins said
today that he had not canvassed the
committee, and was not prepared to
predict what the committee would do.
II believe, however. that you will
find a majority OF the senate for this
proposal" he added. "Some senators
hold that it would be undignified for
a senate committee in Paris to wait
at the kitchen door of the peace COM
missioners to find out what had oc-
Cured at the conference. However.
/ believe 1 can convince them that
there Is nothing undignified about
the proceedings | propose.
ut goes without saying that | con-
ferred with many republican leaders
before l prepared my resolution.
know that practically all prominent
republicans are for 1t, and that a
good many democratic leaders will
favor it."
Fever Of Rebellion.
Administration leaders in the SEN
ate who have not caught the fever
of rebellion that Is in evidence in
some democratic quarters at the
capitol, are a little concerned over
the Cummins resolution. They be-
lieved 1t will be voted down on It's
merits but at the same time, they
will 60 out and work actively against
1t.
The amendment proposed by Sena-
tor Pttman that the committee be
one of ninety-six members-the en-
tire senate-is not expected to re-
ceive serious consideration. Senator
Pittman will urge it. however, in the
hope Of defeating the whole propo-
sition by making it appear ridiculous
in the eyes of the country.
The Sherman resolution is drawn
in such form that it is evident its
author never expected 1t to receive
serious consideration by the senate.
This is similar to the Rodenburg bin
in the house, except that the house
resolution would have the vice. -presi-
dent assume the office of chief execu-
tive, only during the absence of
President Wilson. The house has no
interest in the Cummins resolution,
and there will be no discussion In
that body unless the senate commit
tee on audit and control finds there
Is insufficient funds in the contin-
gent fund of the senate to meet the
expenses of the proposed junket. !
Is interested in the Sherman -Roden-
burg resolution, however.
Republican leaders in the lower
body, Mann, Gillette, Mondell and
Longworth, have indicated their in
tention OF inquiring, whenever bill
IL on the point Of being passed,
whether it should actually be deliv-
cred into the hands of the president,
or whether, under the constitution.
delivery of the bill at the White
House meets the requirements.
This discussion may lead to more
serious developments than are now
expected after the president leaves
the country, IL the passage of emer-
gency legislation Is necessary.
Notwithstanding their statements
to the contrary, President Wilson's
message was not complete disap-
pointment to republican leaders Of
the house and senate. Most of them
hold to the view that the railroads
should be returned to private owner
ship. They were greatly pleased to
find that the president has an open
mind" on this subject. They had be-
lieved he was firmly convinced of the
necessity of permanent government
operation. Public ownership men, on
the other hand, were bitterly disap-
pointed by those sections of the
presidents message dealing with the
rat1 do