The Washington herald., 1918-06-13
WILSON'S WORD
NEGATIVEUPON
OPEN TREATIES
Letter from President Pre-
cedes Senate Quashing
Borah Amendment.
LIMIT QUESTION TODAY
LIMIT QUESTION TODAY
Whether Senate Debate
Shall Be Restricted Will
Be Decided.

Agreement was reached late yes
terday afternoon in the Senate to
decide today by vote whether that
body should limit debate in future.
Final action will thus be taken on
the resolution submitted by Sena-
tor Underwood. of Alabama, and
which Republicans charge has
Presidential approval
The Borah amendment to the res
olution. which provided for consid-
Grafton Of treaties in open session.
was voted down yesterday by SO
to %. This vote followed the pre-
sentation by Senator Hitchcock of
a letter in which the President said
he did not mean there should be
mo private discussion Of delicate
matters"
Underwood Confident.
Senator Underwood was quite
certain last night that his resolu-
tion would be successful today. But
II was learned that certain Demo-
cratic Senators from the South
would make unexpected resistance
when the vote came. They said
privately they could not forget the
days when an attempt was made
TO put over the Force bill. and they
feared that limitation of debate
might result in some such measure
obnoxious to them being voted
through the Senate.
The Underwood resolution allows
Senator'S to speak but one bour on
a bill and twenty minutes on an
amendment. but It was said last
night that an amendment by Sena-
tor Cummins, OF Iowa, which limits
the time to one hour and a half.
and allows a Senator TO eXpend his
time as he wishes, and also provides
that the Senate can enlarge the
debate by a majority vote, would be
substituted.
During the debate yesterday af-
ternoon Senator Hiram Johnson, OF
California. made a vigorous speech
in which he denounced the deposit
tion Of Gen. Leonard Wood without
a reason being given to the public.
The cruelest thing in all this
world" said he, lis the humiliation
Of a brave spirit If It is necessary
to relieve from his command a
man like Leonard Wood. why not
tell the people of the United States
the reason?
Protests About Wood.
"One thing the American people
have a right to know is why this
was done. Why keep out OF the
fighting line a man so intrepid and
so skilled? Why keep out a soldier
who could render such valuable and
valiant service in the war?
NO government on the face OF
earth would treat a ranking general
as Leonard Wood has been treated,
without an explanation. 1 make no
criticism of the act, for it may have
been dictated by military necessity,
hut ! do ask an explanation of why
this brave spirit has been humbled."
Senator johnson deprecated the re-
cent raise in freight rates as an ar
bitrary mea sure.
He went on:
80 I say do not limit debate. II
there is any way of restoring the old
order of things and turning the gov
ernment back TO what II was, don't
take it away from us under the spe-
cious guise of changing the Senate
rules.
'T object to the insidious advance
upon what may be called the ultra
liberties of this body. There is a
cowed press today. and you know IT,
There is a cowed people today, and
you know ii. This is the last free
forum!
And, thank God. there are men on
this floor today who will stand here
and make last fight for the re-
turn of liberty"
Republicans who voted for the Borah
amendment were: Baird. B0rah. Cum
minis, Fall, France, F'relinghuysen,
Gronna. johnson, OF California; Jones.
of Washington; Kellogg, Kenyon, Len
root, McNary. New. Norris, Sherman,
Smith, Of Michigan: Sterling and
Townsend. Democrats voting for the
amendment were: Cha mherlain, John
son. of South Dakota, Nugent ana
Vardaman.
Senator Borah says he will renew
his fight for open dipiG-lacy later on
in the session.