Omaha daily bee., 1918-10-21
TILT BETWEEN
UPPER HOUSE
and PRESIDENT
Many Wise Observers Say Re-
Spouse to Germany's Last
Peace Note Was Senate
Made Document.
By EDGAR c. SNYDER.

Ill d lCSSIit al titiC III l liz Inv ~
ferring to the clash between the
senate and the president on woman
suffrage, and the judgment among
democrats that the senate gained
prestige and the president lost it, |
closed by saying, when will these
two clash again."
The clash came sooner than was
expected and on a major war prop
osition. The president had received
Maximilian's final note. His unex-
pected diplomatic reply, involving,
as the public believed, an approval
if certain inquiries we're answered
as to the authority vested in the
chancellor, took the breath of lead
ing senators in both parties, who
expected, in view of recent utter
ances and the progress of our
armies on the several fronts, curt
demand for unconditional surren-
der. General Grant became the
typical character of history and the
Bulgarian surrender modernized his
famous demand.
Senator Lodge could not contain
himself. He, with Poindexter and
iMcCumber, broke out in protest.
They were held in check by the as
surance of administration senator's
that the president was just execut-
ing a piece of diplomatic fnesse.
They claimed that whichever way
Max" came back Germany would
be trapped. And so they waited.
Tempest Broke in Senate.
When Max" accepted the terms
involved in his inquiry and the
presidential reply, involving the
evacuation of France and Belgium,
which Germany is trying to do with
all speed and minimum of loss, leav-
ing the IA points of the January 8
speech and the four points of the
Fourth of July speech at Mount
Vernon, as basis of settlement,
the terms of which are open to long
debate and diverse construction, the
tempest broke on both sides of the
political aisle. The press Of the
country seemed instantly unified.
The allies made known their disap-
proval. The dictum of the all-pow-
cred heir apparent, Secretary Nc
Adoo, that the German note meant
absolute surrender, was spurned.
Demand was made for a vigorous
reply. Suggestions were voiced that
the allies would not stand by the
presidents position. References
to Foch, Pershing and Haig were
made. The president hurried back
from New York. bringing with him
the mysterious Colonel House.
Congressman Rainey of Illinois,
Pro tenn leader of the house OBJ
Jected to any reference to the war
situation which forced an adjourn
ment of that body.
Presidents War Aims Assailed.
Not so with the senate. Volumes
OF oratory broke out. Republicans
like Lodge, Brandegee, McCum-
Der, Townsend, New and others, de-
manded response of unconditional
surrender" Democrats like Viii
llams, Reed, Mcclellan and Owen all
expressed their views that there
should be nothing but unconditional
surrender. They tempered their
statements with a depreciation of
any thought that the president would
tolerate anything else.
SO the president, having an
nounced his war aims in several
speeches. heard them vociferouslv
applauded by congress. endorsed bv
the press and approved by the lead
ing allied statesmen, when finally
submitted to the German representa-
tlves, finds these sets of principles,
when weighed against concrete con-
dltions, unacceptable to the Ameri-
can senate, the American press or
the allies.
Senate-Made Response.
The day was apparently spent in
hndlng suitable grounds for a state
men to be sent, which would meet
the demands, of the senate and, for
the time being at least, the approval
OF the entente belligerants. 1t was
found and the president sent an an
swer in consonance with public
opinion.
Many wise observers hereabouts
think the time has come when the
upper house. of congress is going to
assert itself. To do this we may
expect the two bodies frequently to
clash again"
But bear in mind, the October IA
response to Germany was senate
made.
Third Senator for Nebraska.
When l came to Washington,
nearly quarter of a century ago, to
represent The Bee, then as now, /
found Senator Francis E. Warren of
Wyoming working overtime for the
interests of his state and if | may
say for, for the interests of Ne
braska as we'll, for Warren has been
third senator for Nebraska ever
since | can remember. He was of
invaluable assistance to the late
AI "a