The Washington herald., 1918-10-29
SENATE DEBATE
ABOUT CONTROL
PROVES ACRID

CONTINUED FROM PAGE ONE
publican campaign managers cali for
a continuance OF the attack on those
two days so that the speeches made
may be spread broadcast to as many
of the voters as it is possible to lea IL.
The attacks made yesterday upon
the President were answered in Wig
orous and fortnight fashion by SEN
ators on the Democratic side. Sena-
tor Hitchcock. OF Nebraska, who fol-
lowed Senator Knox. was particularly
vehement in his denial that the third
article in the Presidents principles
of peace meant a policy of interna-
tional free trade. as charged by some
OF the Republican leaders. lie fe-
buked the National Republican COM
mittee for sending out a document IN
which the Presidents meaning was
distorted.
Senator Hitchcock pointed out that
when the President laid down his
fourteen principles for peace they
were accepted by the whole country,
and he quoted from statements given
at the time by Republican Senators
and Representatives in which the
Presidents principles were praised
And now. nine months later" Sen
ator Hitchcock continued. ''in the
exigency OF a political campaign and
to further the attempt to secure con-
troll of the Senate and House, The Re-
publican organization has gone 10
work not merely to exploit these ar
ticles. but to misrepresent their pur-
pose and purport"
Cites from Document.
Senator Hitchcock read from tho
Republican campaign document an
extract which stated that the Demo-
cratic party Is committed to a free
trade policy. basing this contention
upon the Presidents advocacy of the
removal as far as possible OF all eco
nomic barriers and the establishment
of an equality OF trade conditions
among all nations consenting y the
peace and associating themselves for
its maintenance"
The President would feel that is an
international matter involving the
peace of the world and should be left
TO the League of Nations" he added.
Senator Penrose demanded to know
whether the Presidents policy would
cause competition in the home mar
kets. That is a deliberate misrepre-
sentation of article three of the Pres
ident's fourteen articles. 1t Is an at
tempt to make political capital by
the statement that the President was
endeavoring to put into the treaty r
permanent commitment Of the United
States for free trade.
Senator Penrose interrupted to say
that his reading of the President =
message was that free trade prop
aganda" was meant Senator HitcN-
cock retorted that Senator Penrose
had not seen fit to criticise the Pres
ident's message at the time 1t was
delivered. and Senator Penrose re-
piled that silence does not mean ac-
quiescence, by any means"
Senator Hitchcock read to the Sem
ate a letter received from the Pres
ident in reply to one which he wrote
suggesting an explanation of para
graph three. In this letter the Pres
ident wrote that his words were per
fectly clear to any honest mind and
that the meaning of his message
was that every nation should be left
free to determine its own economic
policy. except in the one particular
that its policy must be the same for
all other nations and not be COM
pounded Of hostile determinations be-
tween one nation and another"
Senator Hitchcock also read a let
ter in which the President wrote to
Senator Simmons, in which 1t was
stated that the policy is not free
trade, but the removal Of discrim-
inatory acts against one nation as
contrasted with another.
In answer to a question from Sem
ator Brandegee as TO whether this
policy would prevent a discrimina,
tion against goods manufactured in
Germany, Senator Hitchcock replied
that II would have that effect.
This" said Senator Hitchcock,
lis positive declaration by the
Republican organization that the
treaty of peace must guarantee to
Germany free trade with the United
States without any tariff safeguards
whatsoever to protect the American
laborer, farmer and manufacturer
from foreign competition.
Senator Pittman charged that the
discussion OF poltcs had been COM
menced by the Republicans and
quoted from speeches and articles
by Roosevelt. Taft, and National
Chairman Hays in support Of this
statement. He said that the Repub-
licans in the Senate had made a
number of partisan speeches and
that the President did the only thing
reasonable ia asking the country for
support The statement given out