The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1918-12-02
WILSON SEEKS
PUBLIC VIEWS
Wants to Feel He Talks for
Nation at the Versailles
Conference.
TOO SOON TO SPECULATE
President Believes Senate Will
Have Joint Responsibility
in Final Decision.
TOO SOON TO SPECULATE
Sp,ciai Despntch 20 rHH suN.

WAgIITNGTOS, Dec. 1.-cn lne eve OF
his address to the joint session OF Con-
gress President Wilson is understood
to take the view tonight that hS
fourteen terms, In so far as they have
been indorsed by the Entente Allies at
the signing OF the armistice, constitute
basic principles not now OPEN to de-
bate here or abroad except in the
method of their application. The ap-
plication Of these agreed upon prin-
ciples will not be taken up until May
or June, it is explained. and long be-
fore this time the President will have
returned from his trip and be in a po-
sition to consult the Senate Foreign
Relations Committee or other legisla-
tors.
Therefore the great bulk of the
work ahead OF the peace conference,
the application OF principles already
agreed on, will be done at such time
and in such manner that the Senate
can have free voice and joint responsi-
bility with the President in shaping
this nations course.
matters which may be injected into
the peace deliberations. and the one
outstanding subject OF disagreement,
freedom of the seas. Regarding mat
ters not already touched on in his
speeches the President, It Is pointed
out, is not yet in position to discuss
these intelligently with Senators or
others for the rea son that he himself
does not know what they will be. But
II may be indicated that before maxi
ing decision on any important new
matter the President will take means
OF ascertaiping that he is speaking for
tho American people and with their
full approval.
Two New Questions.
Respecting two Of these new ques-
tluns the President Is said to believe
that he can act with full assurance OF
unanimous support,
One is the question of whether neu-
trail nations shall be intrusted with an
investigation as to Germany's guilt or
lack Of guilt in starting the war. The
other is whether the Vatican and neu-
trail nations should have voting power
and representation at the peace table.
In both instances this Governments
attitude is against the proposal and
the President Is said to feel confident
that the American people will not
stand for any neutral investigation Of
German affairs and that this nation
will concur in the view that only bel
ligerents should really play a role in
mapping out the basic features of the
peace treaty. Neutral nations will
have chance TO be heard and Ger
many and her allies will also get
hearing. but II is to be virtually
dictated peace" with the United
States and the Entente Allies doing
the debating.
The question OF freedom OF the seas,
which the President is known TO re-
gard as OF vital importance to this
nations future. is 10 be threshed out
and solved at the preliminary meeting
between the President and the En-
tente Premiers. The President. his
friends say. has n definite idea of lust
what he is going TO work for. but does
not feel that he can show his hand
so to spealo without Immediately
weakening the position he will take at
the preliminary meeting,
Point May Cause Clashes.
This is In sense the one point
about which there will bo divergence
of views and clashes OF interests per-
haps from the start. To explain Just
what moves he intended to make would
he tantamount. It Is said by officials
10 announcing the exact makeup OF a
hand In a card game before the play
began.
Officials point out that no one is
able to say in advance Just what is to
develop at the preliminary session of
the peace conference. Who. for
example, would have supposed that the
taking of the Philippines was to result
from the peace discussions with Spain? Z?
II is said.
In every peace treaty in which this
nation has ever participated there
have been developments totally unex-
pected and in each case the Senate
exercised its power chiefly when It
came to ratification.