The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1918-11-19

II
determining the greater outlines of
| the final treaty about which he must
necessarily be consulted. He will, of
course, be accompanied by delegates
who will sit as the representatives
OF the United States throughout the
conference.
The names of the delegates wiU
be presently announced"
May Visit Several Cities
How long the President will re-
main abroad he himself probably
cannot say now. The time for the
converting Of the peace conference
has not yet been announced. but the
general belief here is that it cannot
be assembled before late in Decem-
br. IL such proves the case. the
resident will be absent from the
country for at least a month, and
probably longer.
What plans the President may
have for his trip other than to attend
the. opening Of the peace conference
ana to participate in the discussions
among the representatives Of the as
ISOLATED nations which will precede
1T, have not been revealed. He un-
doubtedly will be accompanied by
Mrs. Wilson and it is said here that
besides visiting Paris, where the
peace congress probably will be held
he Will go to London and possibly to-
Brussels and Rome.
Mr.. Wilson is expected to receive
abroad a reception such as has been
| accorded but few men in public life.
He will be welcomed not onl V as the
President of the United States and
the commander in chief of it's
armies and navy, but also as the
itchampion of world democracy.
4 Fret pFHeiHan& D. 1 ARaaP;e@
In visiting Europe the President
will establish two precedents. He
| Will be the first chief executive Of
the United States to participate in a
peace conference for the settling of
| issues growing out of a war in
which this country participated and
| likewise he will be the first presi-
dent to leave North America dur
ing his term Of Office.
In reaching his decision to attend
| the peace conference President Will
largely Influenced by representations
from Premiersl Lloyd George of GreaS
Britain and Clemenceau of France
and other statesmen of the entente
countries, The principles and terms
OF settlement enunciated by the
President have been accepted by both
the associated nations and the central
powers as the basis upon which
peace is to be established, and it
is understood that it is for the work.
ing out of the applications of the
plans that his presence is earnestly
desired by the allied statesmen,
Since the President is to sail early
it seems certain that he will reach
Paris several weeks before the
peace congress assemblies. His pur-
pose is, it is believed here, to par
ticipate in the conference now pro-
ceeding at Versailles as the prelim-
mary to the meeting Of the peace
commissioners. He thus will have
opportunity to discharge in person
for the first time the duties of his
membership in the supreme war
council in which he is now represen-
ted by Colonel e. M. House.
In the general view here the ses-
sions of the supreme war council are
of first importance for in all prob
aility it will be at these sessions
that the general program which is to
govern the peace congress will be ar
ranged.
Would Attend Council.
The President will attend the
opening sessions Of the congress at
which the broad principles Of the
treaty viii be settled, but he will not
remain for the subsequent detailed
discussions and settlements of the
various questions. This will be the
work Of the commissioners he soon
is to name to represent the United
States. BY carrying out this unusual
program of having the conference
draft and adopt a general peace
treaty at the outset, the President
and the entente premiers will be
able soon after the commissioners
assemble to return to their own
countries and attend to important
business at home.
President Must Decide.
Since the suggestion that the
President attend the peace confer.
ence first was made there has been
much discussion that whether absent
he would continue to act as presi-
dent. The constitution is silent as
to the question and 1t is regarded as
one which the President himself
must decide. The opinion here is
that MIR. Wilson already has made up
his mind on this subject. He does
not go to a peace conference as dele
gate and consequently it is held that
should he relinquish his authority
and functions of Office he would be
without power to act for the United
States in the decisions.
There is ample precedent for the
President to leave the territorial
limits of the United States. Presi-
dent Harrison on one occasion went
into Canada, while President Taft
visited both that country and Mexico
President Roosevelt and also Presi-
dent Taft visited the Panama canal
zone,
Still Were Presidents.
Both President Taft and President
Roosevelt continued to perform the
functions of their office while on the
visits to the canal zone, sending in
structions to Washington both by
cable and wireless. 1t was pointed
out today that the President could
in this manner attend to any pressing
matters of importance here while he
is abroad.
In all probability the President
will cross the Atlantic on an Ameri-
can battleship, probably on one Of
the navy's newest dreadnaughts.
While on such ship, it is claimed
he is on American territory and tech.
nically would be absent from the
country only for such time as ne
actually is on foreign SOIL
AZ the EESSluSnL 1H6eluS 10 aelSS6CG
any of the functions of his Office to
Vice President Marshall, the vice
president has not been so informed,
and this fact in itself was accepted
in some quarters as clearly indicat-
ing that the President has decided
that his physical absence from the
country does not create vacancy in
the office as to fail within the Sec
ton Of the constitution which clothes
the vice president with authority to
discharge the duties OF the office dur
ing the inability OF the President to
act
Legislation Affected.