New-York tribune., 1918-12-01
Plan to Declare
Presidency Vacant
johnson Says "Ma-
homet Is His Prophet
and Wilson Names
Himself Five Times"
By Carter Field

WASHINGTON, Nov 80 So bitter
was The feeling among members of
Congress to-day over the selection of
what they regard as purely rubber
stamp" peace commission that there
was serious discussion of sending A
committee of Senators to Versailles to
seport to the Senate OF the proceed
ings of the peace conference
As showing the-seneral feeling. aose
are few of the days developmesife
| A few strong pro Wilson Senators,
alarmed at the open insurrection
against the President among Demo-
cratic leaders, urged Senator Hitchcock,
chairman of the Foreign Relations
Committee, to go to see the President
with the proposal that committee of
Senators should go to Versailles The
pro- Wilson Senators hoped that the
President would consent, thus mollify-
ing the present fierce criticism of the
Chief Executive.
2. Senator Hitchcock refused, intimat-
ing to the would-be peacemakers
that obviously the initiative on such
proposal should come from the White
House.
Z. There was serious discussion by
Democratic leaders of a proposal
to pass a resolution through both
Houses of Congress declaring that the
Office of President was temporarily va
cant, and that the Vice President
should perform the duties of the office
of President until the return to this
country Of President Wilson.
q. Senator Cummins, of Iowa, drafted
resolution, which he will intro
duce On Monday, providing for COM
mittee Of eight Senators, four Repub
licans and four Democrats. to 90 to
Versailles for the peace conference
with view to reporting TO the Senate
after the treaty has been submitted o
for ratification and explaining the
why's and wherefores Of the various
points. Senator Weeks. of Massachu-
setts, prepared similar resolution.
Held to Reflect on Senate
s. Chairman Hitchcock of the Foreign
Relations Committee announced
that he would ask to have all such res
olutions referred to the committee.
which. it was indicated, was apt to give
them favorable consideration.
G.. In serious discussion of sucheres-
olutions several Democratic leaders
agreed that if such committee went
to Paris as the representatives of the
treaty ratifying power of the United
States it would be given ample oppor-
tunity to inform itself by the repre-
sentatives of the Allied governments
7. The only opposition that developed
to the proposal was based not on
support of the President, but because
some of the Senators thought it would
put the Senate in an undigniied posi-
tion
Perhaps the most bitter condemna-
ton Of the President which was made
around the Capitol Tor publication was
given by Senator Hiram Johnson, of
California. He said:
There is no God but Cod and Mo-
hammed is his prophet In selecting
himself as the head Of the five Ameri-
can delegates TO the Peace Conference,
President Wilson has named himself
tive times. We cannot but admire the
courage of the President in saving to
the l05 100000 of our people: 4 am
the only American fit to sit at the
peace table,"
Free to Run Own Agairs
AS showing the frame OF mind ~
some Of the most conservative Sen,
ators. Senator Hitchcock, after saving
that he would ask the reerefnce to his
committee of all resolutions appertain-
ing 70 a visit of Senatorial commit
tee abroad said:
The fact that the President has moi
seen TIT TO name a meInber of the San
ate on the peace confusion leaves the