Evening star., 1918-10-28
Mr.. KNOX ASKS It
i. S. WANTSPEA
MADE BY ONE MAN
Starts Debate in Senate on
Control by President n Sees Sc
Autocratic Danger. 's
ASSERTS EXECUTIVE is
PARTISAN AND sHlFTY

A protest against any peace terms
dictated by President Wilson alone and
not representative of American public
opinion through Senate consideration
Of the peace treaty was made in the
Senate today by Senator Knox of Penn
sylvania, republican, and former Sec
retary of State, in an address charging
the President with political partisan
ship. = ~
Democratic senators prepared to re-
ply to Senator Knox. forecasting gen.
eral discussion of peace and war, COM
bined with the partisan political ques-
tions.
The Presidents peace terms were
referred to by Senator Knox as ideas
scattered through" the executives
various addresses.
"Be they wise, be they foolish" said
Senator Knox, that is not the ques-
ton. The question is. shall the con-
the American people believe they can
safely live at peace with Germany
and the world be decided by the fiat
of one man or shall they be treated
by the unbiased, sober judgment of
the nations representatives?
Asks if People Want Masters.
"Are the American people," Senator
Knox asked, equal to the obligation
of democracy? Or are they merely a
complacent people, intellectually in
dolent, lazily acquiescent, looking for
~aeterS and not leaderS?'
In his criticism of the President for
partisan activities Senator Knox said:
"a few days ago the country was
astounded and shocked to find the
ton of democratic senators and rep
representatives, precisely in order that
his individual authority should be un-
trammeled by counsel I pass by the
unjust-not to say. ,outrageous-impli-
cations Of that unique document Of
partisan politics. :
.rWhen there is talk Of abdication
of the kaiser" Senator Knox contin-
ned. "it is q peculiar moment to pro-
pose that the American people should
abdicate their right to have opinions,
or that the Senate and the House
should abdfcate their sworn and in
dependent duties.
81 ask senators whether it is the
will of the American peopleNo the
will Of woodrow Wilson that Is to de-
termine the policy Of the United
States in the matter Of ending this
war and Of founding a future peace.
I ask them whether they propose to
be the mere registers of the will of
one man. This is the issue before US.
"The abdication Of the constitu-
tional duty OF Independent Judgment
of the Senate or House spells autoc-
racy, If democratic members are for
such abdication then truly the COM
ing elections have for the American
people a transcendent importance"
Charges Shifting Attitude.
During tho war. Senator Knox de-
olared. tho President has spoken with
the greatest possible variety of ideas
and attitudes" on various questions.
In this connection the PENNSYLVANIA
senator referred to the Presidents
ace-without-victory" address, and
what he termed readiness after the
Lusitania to compromise the U-boat
barbaritY in return for a half-hearted
promise TO try to spare our ships"
A. spirit OF partisanship and
secrecy" was charged against the
present administration by Senator
knox, who said democrats and repub-
licans apparently suffered equally in
this respect. except for one conspicu-
GUS case he did not name; The Presi-
dent, he said. has held himself .'aloof
sentativeS and repelled counsel
Analyxing the Presidents so-calIed
peace terms, Senator Knox said that
conceding the propriety Of many. still
the principal object of the war is to
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