The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1918-12-02
Republicans and Democrats
in Both Branches Resent
Policy of Secrecy.
ALL IN DARK ON PEACE
Mr.. Wilson Expected to
Give Full Outline on
Mission To-day.
HE MAY BE QUESTIONED
Senate VIII Go to House to
Hear Communication From
the Executive.
HE MAY BE QUESTIONED
special Despatch 10 The su>

special Desp0fch 10 The suN
WASHINGTON, Dec. 1. - The final
move breaking the Presidents ability
to sway Congress to his desires is ex.
pected to be made by the President
himself tomorrow. This power has
been declining rapidly for months.
On the character of the Presidents
address tomorrow depends whether
! it will continue Its tenuous hold or
whether it will he severed.
7 The attitude Of the whole Congress
regardless Of party and particularly
of the Senate in regard to the foreign
situation and the peace conference Is
best summed up in two words. 'in-
formation, please"
| The temper Of the Senate has been
amply demonstrated since 1t became
apparent that no Senators were to be
named as peace delegates, This the
Senate regards not only as a slight
to that body and lack Of Executive
| confidence in it but as a continuation
Of the administrative drift toward the
| imposition of the will OF one man ON
the entire nation.
No Light for the senate.
Even now. fewer than twenty four
hours before the President is to make
what may be the most important pub
| lie utterance Of his career, not
single Senator, not even the chairman
Of the Foreign Relations Committee.
had the least hint of the Presidents
attitude on any of the many things
the President must discuss, matters
whose Importance cannot be cXag-
! gerated. The situation is more an
! noying 10 the Senate because in less
than day after he delivers his ad
dress the President will be at sea
and therefore out of reach.
Hopes TO End Rescntment.
! President Wilson is reported to pe
supremely confident that his address
/ at once will dissipate feeling of resent
ment at the Capitol and insure the ma
! tion's support for his unprecedented
/ trip to Europe.
! The address. which is understood "a
| have undergone several recent He-
! visions to meet developments, is said
! to be regarded by the President as the
/ most important he has yet delivered
/ and in one sense a challenge to his
critics. Though he may make It plain
/ that he Is not permitted at this stage
! to particular!ze he. II is believed. will
I state the principles which arc to guide
this nation at the peace conference,
, and indicate that since January last
| he has taken the Senate and the ma
ton into his confidence fully as to
what the United States stands for by
way of future peace agreements
II is predicted by friends OF the
President that the address will be a
surprise and that II IL certain to have
n reassurlng effect on tho Senate.
Much of the address may deal with
| railroad and reconstruction problems
/ Respecting the peace conference, ar.
rangements are expected to be made
whereby the Senate viii he in position
to make its voice heard In advance Of
this nations being committed to any
, policy, but more especially any new
policy not already enunciated by the
, President.
Some suggestion has reached the
ears of certain Senators that the Pres
, ident may explain tomorrow that the
/ makeup OF the peace mission is not
for the final peace conference but for
the preliminary conferences and thst
the Senate will be represented in tie
final conference. They do not credit
this report, however, as II has not
come TO them authoritatively, al
though admitting its possibility az ORC
of the things in the Presidents mind
When the President goes to Cor
gress tomorrow he will he occupying
the centre Of the stage in what prom
! ises TO be the most remarkable scene
ever enacted in the Capitol. Not only
I will he be on the eve OF smashing
precedent as old aR the Government
, itself in leaving the country but he
will he leaving in opposition to the
judgment 4 at least two thirds OF the
! Senators and Representatives who will
! hear his address,
Congress to Seek Plain Statement.
The President will face the almost
unanimous demand OF Congress that
| he state without equivocation or cavii
In detail Just what II is the President
proposes TO do in the preliminary con-
ferences. just what attitude he pro-
! poses TO take as the representative Of
the American people and exactly how
/ IL is proposed to keep the Senate in
! formed of the progress of the confer.
/ rnces Congress in particular is de.
srous of knowing now the concrete
attitude Of the President on the pro.
posal 20 hold the individual German.
responsible for atrocities strictly ac.
| countahe for their acts.
! II the Presidents address contains
clear and explicit explanation of these