Elko independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 1915-current, 1918-05-28
HOW THE UNITED STATES
CONDUCTS ITS
FOREIGN POLICY

Foreign relations provide the func-
tions of one of the most important
committees OF the senate, and for that
reason the position of chairman ranks
among the highest in the government
of the United States.
Senator Gilber: NJ. Hitchcock OF
Nebraska, who has just been appoint
ed chairman of the foreign relations
committee of the senate, has been
chosen as the senior democrat on the
committee. his predecessor being
Senator Stone of Missouri, who re-
Gently died.
American foreign policy is primar-
lily conducted by the president thru
the secretary OF state, but as no treaty
can be ratified without the consent
of the senate, the United States has
really a triumvirate in place of the
single foreign minister who deals with
International relations on behalf OF
most foreign countries. While it is
true that the president, the secretary
of state, and the chairman of the SEN
ate foreign relations committee all
perform some of the functions of n
foreign minister, in the case OF Pres
ident Wilson the conduct of the ma
tins foreign policy has 10 remark
able extent been thought out and di.
rected by himself alone. President
Wilson has a complete conception OF
the issues of the world war and a
consistent plan for their settlement,
which has gained for him a position
of leadership never attained by any
previous president of this republic.
The senate can, of course, refuse
TO ratify treaty, and in the case OF
the treaty with Columbia. it did so.
An obstructive chairman OF the for.
eign relations committee can in Ger.
tain circumstances seriously en-
barrass the president and the secre-
tary of state. Because of his record,
there was for this reason some obJec-
ton to Senator Hitchcock receiving
the appointment. He has been Known
as one OF the most troublesome critics
of the democratic administration.
A journalist by choice Che owns
and publishes the morning and even
ing World-Herald Of Omaha) Senator
Hitchcock was first identified with
American politics as a republican, but
later became democrat. lie first en-
tered the United States senate in
1901. Since then, with very few
breaks, he has contributed his share
of excitement to the discussions in
the senate, notably during the BalIiu.
ger-Pinchot controversy some years
back, when the general land office
came in for some hard words.
The senator's rule has, in general
been that of critic of his own par
tvs administration. With the out
break of the European war, he assum
ed a decidedly pacifist attitude, anC
when the United States went in, h,
found himself in some trouble will
his colleagues for his suspicious alooi
ness from the war program. Later
however, he came ont as a warm SUI
porter OF President Wilson, always il
sisting that II was essential for the a
lies to define as clearly "a possibl
their peace terms.
In November he issued warnin
against declaration of war on An
tria-Hungary, stating as his reason
that this might be construed as a
agreement to Italy's claims on III
Dual Monarchy. In his new pOsitiO
he will have to work in close ha
mony with the president. for III
chairman OF the foreign relations con
mittee is the chief medium throug
which the administration commun
Gates with congress in regard to int
national affairs.-Midwoek Pretoria
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