Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1918-12-03

NJ I% senate sppiau6ss ia led certain parts
of President Wilson's annual
address 20 Congress Yesterday and
sat silent following others. Unless
we greatly err, the country at large
will receive the message in much the
same spirit.
With the Presidents summary OF
Americas part in the war not even
his most vigorous opponents Will
hnd fault. Mr.. Wilson writes WELL
and that section OF his address relat-
ing to the tremendous war efforts oil
the country and the glorious feats
of our soldiers abroad sets forth
admirably in a few words the history
of our part in the great conflict in
a manner we'll designed to win the
plaudits with which it was received
In Congress.
But Congress expected more than
that from the President. Democrats
as Republicans, hoped 10 hear from
the Executive some reasonable eN-
planation of his attendance at the
peace conference and an outline or
the attitude he intends TO take as q
representative of the United States.
The Senate was particularly desirous
of having some light on this subject,
since il is the Senate which must
mass finally on the treaty to which
the President must agree abroad and
which he is ambitious TO shape in
its general outlines. But beyond
vague references 10 his fourteen
points" and their Interpretation.
Mr.. Wilson left the Senators no
wiser than before. He asks for their
support and cooperation, and gives
them no hint as to what they are
to support or in what they are to
cooperate. He slaps them in the
face with one hand and extends the
other in friendly greeting. No Won
der Senators OF both parties received
his peace conference remarks in
frigid silence.
In view Of the embarrassing posi-
ton in which they have peen placed,
the ignored Senators would be justi-
fed in sending their own peace dele
gates to Paris. 1t is important that
our allies abroad be made TO under
stand that President Wilson is speak
ing for himself alone. that he may
or may not express the views Of the
entire Government, and when he
does not it would be the part OF the
Senate representatives to set the
delegates of other nations Alright. In
that way the United States can be
prevented from the appearance OF
trying to dictate the terms OF a
treaty in which our interests are Sec
ondary to those OF France. England.
Belgium and Italy. and in the franz
ing of which our sacrifices and
achievements in the war entitIe us TO
no more than an equal voice with
those OF the other participants, !f
that.
With regard to reconstruction
the President has no program,
which is characteristic. His re-
marks indicate. however. that he at
last has come to some realization
that the country is able to direct its
own affairs and that it will not be
led by paternalistic administration,
no matter how beneficent its inten-
tions. For the first time he ex-
presses a willingness to hand the
railroads back TO their owners. after
some modification of the old sys-
TENS of operation has been worked
cut, which latter even the railroad
arrangements will agree is desirable.
The President has discovered what
railroad men knew for years. that
the laws and regulations under
which the railroads opepsied were
oppressive and not conducive to
good service or orderly development.
That some Of the restrictions be