The sun., 1918-12-25
FRIENDS
SEEK SENATE AID
Continued from FVrst PoOs.

may be restored. and It is added that
harmony between the President and
the Senate. remote as surface indica
tons now disclose It to be. Is essential
II the nation is going to be adequately
represented at the peace deliberations
1t is pointed out significantly by
some diplomats here that the Presi-
dents whole peace plan. including his
League Of Nations. his arbitration
principles, &c, Is founded on the as
sumption that differences Of opinion
can be compromised by reasonable ex-
changes Of counsel and sacrifice on
both sides.
Why then not begin the application
OF this principle by compromise or
of the differences which
have sprung up between the President
and the Senate leaders7 II is suggested.
May Force President Home.
Another suggestion Is that the Pres
ident may have to return to the United
States and attempt to make peace
with the Senate before continuing his
programme for the future peace be-
tween all the nations.
1t now develops that both the
French and the British regard the diff
ferences between the President and
the Senate leaders more seriously
than they are regarded here. Pre-
mier Clemenceau could not continue
another hour as the French rep
resentative IL the French Chamber
voted a lack OF confidence In any move
he made Premier Lloyd George like
wise would automatically cease to be
a negotiator or n factor in public life
any moment the British Parliament
rendered a vote adverse to him.
British and French opinion there
fore is trained to regard the peoples
representatives in Parliament as the
real power because the Premiers are
the servants Of these representatives Of
the people and must carry out their
wishes or make way for others who
will. Therefore the suggestion OF ian
American parliament" hostile to the
American peace negotiators and their
means much more to Euro
pean minds than IL does to Americans
Harmony Steps Considered.
There is much talk here concern
ing steps which ought to be taken to
restore harmony between the Presi-
dent and the Senate. It IL certain
that after the holidays some of the
Administration Senators will attempt
to reply to Senator Lodge (Mass)
and Senator Knox (Penn). There Is
some talk of trying to force the Sem
ate 10 go on record as unqualifiedly
indorsing the Presidents efforts and
giving him a free hand. but it Is ex-
tremely doubtful II this plan could be
put through even now. and II 1t were
the Senate which will ratify the
treaty will not be the Senate now
sitting and will be Republican and
behind Senators Lodge and Knox.
1t Is reported here that Senator
with the American negtiators in
Paris, is shortly to attempt the role of
peace emissary between the President
and the Senate leaders. What the
chances OF compromise may be are not
altogether clear. II is admitted, but the
consensus Of opinion is that the Presi-
dent himself will have TO make the
first move; that 1t will have to be made
openly and publicly and that II will
have to show a willingness to compro-
mise on n number of vital matters.
The initial difficulty admittedly is
even reaching the stage Of discussing
possible compromise. The President g
friends in Paris have not been fortu-
nate in inspiring reports that men OF
the type OF the Republican leaders
were embarrassing the President by
frankly stating their views on the
questions at issue.
The Senate naturally feels that in
view Of the American form OF govern
ment II is less important for the Presi-
dent TO be embarrassed by the Senate
than for the Senate TO be embarrassed
by the President Senators. as direct
representatives OF the American peo-
pie, feel duty bound to express their
opinion on matters of vital impor-
tance to the people, and their view is
that the President should be apprecia-
tive of the opportunity thus afforded
OF getting the views of his fellow
oountrymen on matters which. after
all. can only he wisely decided by the
common counsel.