The producers news. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1918-1937, 1918-11-22
PRESIDENT WILSON
WILL SAIL FOR EUROPE
Chief Executive to Attend Opening Ses-
sion Of Conference After Sitting
in War Council

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bllity it will be at these sessions that
the general program which is to gov
ern the peace congress will be ar
ranged.
Attend Opening Sessions Only
The president will attend the OPEN
ing sessions of the congress at which
the broad principles Of the treaty
will be settled, but he will not remain
for the subsequent detailed discus
sions 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
pTeiniers will be able soon after the
commissioners assemble to return to
their own countries and attend to i'm
portant business at home.
May Act as President on Trip
Since the suggestion that the pres1-
dent attend the peace conference first
was made there has been much dis
cussion that whether absent he would
continue to act as president. The con-
stitution is silent as to the question
and it is regarded as one which the
president himself must decide. The
opinio n here is that Mr.. Wilson al
ready has made up his mind on this
subject. He does not go to a peace
conference as delegate and conse-
quently it is held that should he re-
linquish his authority and functions
of office he would be without power to
act for the United States in the de-
cisions.
There is ample precedent for the
president to leave the territorial linn
its of the United States. President
Harrison on one occasion went into
Canada, while President Taft visited
both that country and Mexico. Presf
dent Roosevelt and also President
Taft visited the Panama canal zone.
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.
To Cross on Battleship
In all probability the president will
cross the Atlantic on an American
battleship, probably on one of the.
navy's newest dreadnaughts. While
on such ship, it is claimed, he is on
American territory and technically
would be absent from the country
only for such time as he actually is
on foreign soil.
If the presidents intends to dele
gate any of the functions of his Of
flee to Vice President Marshall, the
vice president has not been so in
formed, and this fact in itself was ac-
cepted in some quarters as clearly in
dicating that the president has de-
cided that his physical absence from
the country does not create vacan7
cy in the Office as to fall within the
section of the constitution which
clothes the vice president with auth
ority to discharge the duties of the
office during the inability of the presf-
dent to act.
The question of what effect the
presidents absence will have on the
work of congress was freely discussed
tonight in congressional circles
Many held that the president could
not approve or veto legislation while
absent as the actual signature of the
president is required. Under the
provision of the constitution If bills
are not acted upon by the chief exc
cutive within ten days after their
passage they automatically become
effective.
To Stay Away Over Christmas
Very little important business viii
be transacted by congress in Decem-
Der under the program as now out
lned. No pressing legislation mat
ters now pending or in prospect are
likely to be completed before the ex-
pected adjournment of congress for
over the Christmas holidays. And if
(Confinued IN PAGE Eival