Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1918-10-09
CONGRESS DIFFERS
ON PRESIDENTS NOTE
All Back President; Some Think
Just mo" Should Have
Been the Reply.

Washington, Oct. s-MingIed sen
timents Of approval OF President Will
sons inquiry to the German Govern
ment and of disappointment that hc re-
Trained from abruptly rejecting the Ger
man overturcs was expressed by members
Of Congress in interviews tonight with
The New York Times. The predominant
feeling WAS that Americans III any event
must stand unswervingly back Of the
President and support him IN any move
the exigency of the hour appears to him
TO dictate
The Presidents note Of inquiry, com
ing after yesterdays stirring debate IN
the Senate in which Senators pronounced
themselves as against any dIckerlng
with Germany Mt this time, rather upset
the calculations of those who wanted
the German ovcrturss fatty ignored
The opinion WAS expressed IN interviews
with The Times TINT the President might
have had private advices that actuated
him IN giving Germany an opportunity
TO procl. - the terms upon which peacs
might STAINED
MoN pnators who privately express
disappointment that the Executive had
not abruptly turned down the Ger man
proposals hesitated to allow Themselves
10 be quoted to that effect. They felt
that undivided allegiance to the Presi-
dent ought TO preclude anything that
might seem like a criticism OF his attitude
in an extremely delicate problem of war
diplomacy.
Not Senator expressed anything
but warm approval OF the Presidents
rpafIirmation that, before there could
be- any armisticc, Germany must with
draw her troops from all conquered
territory On this point there was no
variance Of opinion
As to the Presidents inquiry whether
the German Chancellor actunllv represent
cd the German people or merely the mil
rary autocracy. there was difference
OF expression. most Senators mann
tanning that il was useless 10 reFard
the ruling element III Germany rs re
hcctlng anything but an outlaw gov
eminent Doubt was expressed thai
any satisfactory reply could come from
this phase Of The Presidents inquiry,
and II was believed that the nIted
States would find IN Germany reply,
n Deliberate evasion of the exact facts
The opinion WAS voiced bv more than
one Senator that. viewed IN its broadcast
aspect the President inquiry would
pui upon Germany the one If making
a reply that would show whether her
overturcs could I've regarded IN good
faith or must bc discarded as only an
effort 20 gain breathing time through
an arnIstice during which she would
her weakened forces That
Germany could not make any reply
that would satisfy the Allies Of my
sincere intention 10 come to peace terms
agreeable 10 her foes WAS the expressed
opinion of nearly every member Of
Congress
That Germany At this time will ade-
quatcly answer the President $ inquiry
rs 10 the Chanccllor's meaning when
he spoke of acceptance OF the proposals
laid down by the Chief Executive was
believed by Senators and Representa-
tivcs TO he altogether unlikely Ger
many. they felt, would seize upon the
opportunity to make "a procurement
that would Of itself, be impossible Of
diplomatic negotiation
The opinion was unequivocnlly OK
pressed that no tangible reply would
come from Germany that would point
the way to an ending OF hostllitles.
CRITICISMS BY LoDGEAND NEW
The most outspoken criticism Of the
Presidents note came from Senator
Lodge Of Massachusetts,. ranking Re
publican member OF the Foreign Rela-
tIons Committee. and Senator New OF
Indiana. a member of the committee
who frankly expressed the belief that
the American people would be disap-
pointed III the attitude the Chiet EXecu-
tive had taken
Both Senators insisted that no peace
negotiations should be undertaken with
Germany at this time and that the
war must go on until the fiollenzollern
dynasty WAS beaten at arms