Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1918-12-02
WILSON Anglers
BOTH DEMOCRATS
ANDREPUBLICANS
Talk of Declaring Office of
President Vacant While
He Is Abroad

sentiment over the failure of PreSl-
dent Wilson to take Congress into
his confidence as to his purpose to
attend the peace conference in
France is expressed by Senate lead
ers. This feeling was not confined
to Republicans. Democratic Senat-
ors expressed the same idea.
From talks with Democratic lead
ers it appeared that the President
has not, so far as known, revealed
to any member of his own party in
Congress anything concerning his
trip abroad. Whatever Ideas the
President may have as. to the peace
parley he has kept from so-called
Administration leaders in Congress.
Senator Hitchcock. Chairman of
the Foreign Relations Committee,
which must deal with the treaty OF
peace when it is MADE. has had no
conference with the President re-
garding the European trip. Nor has
any other Democratic leader it was
stated, been invited to talk over the
peace program with Mr.. Wilson.
More than one Democratic Senator
voiced the view that the President
has held himself too far aloof from
Congress and that he had appeared
to direct the trip to France as a per-
sonal affair. This attitude, as the
Democratic Senators see 1t. has
caused a strong resentment which
they did not hesitate to express in
private conversation.
Opposition TO the Trip.
The sentiment of Congressional
leaders, voiced today, was that the
President ought not to leave the
country when important legislation
dealing with the period of reconstruc-
.tion was about to be begun. If the
President felt that his presence is
needed at the Peace Conference, it
was suggested, he ought to take
Congress into his confidence so that
any program he might have as to
reconstructive legislation might be
expedited in his absence.
No Enthusinsm Over White.
Disappointment over the failure of
the President to appoint n Senator
as one of the peace delegates was
expressed by Democratic and Repub-
lican Senators. The naming of
Henry White, former Ambassador to
France as the Republican represen-
tative, failed to stir enthusiasm in
the men of that party. They had
hoped a representative Senator, such
as Mr.. Lodge, might have been Sc
lected
Many Speeches Ahead
President Wilson's address to Con-
gress will start the discussion of the
peace questions going in both houses
1t is probable that from that time
on the debate on every bill will con-
sist mostly of speeches attacking or
defending some point under discus
sion at Versailles.
The league of nations seems to be
a special target. a very prominent
Democratic Senator, who has made
some effort to follow the President
on this question and who is most
anxious for some plan which would
prevent future wars, admitted to-
night that he could not find any sup
port whatever for the league of ma
tions idea in the Senate, and as to
the freedom of the seas he could not
find any Senators with a clear idea
as to what the President meant.
A few strong pro- Wilson Senators,
alarmed at the open insurrection
against the President among Demo-
cratic leaders. urged Senator Hitch
cock, chairman of the Foreign Rela-
tions Committee. to go to see the
President with the proposal that a
committee of Senators should go to
Versailles.
Hitchcock Refuses to Act
Senator Hitchcock refused to act.
intimating to the would-be peace
makers that obviously the iniative
on such a proposal should come from
the White House.
There was serious discussion by
Democratic leaders Of a proposal to
pass resolution through both the
Houses of Congress declaring that
the office of President was tempo
rarily vacant. and that the Vice
President. should perform the duties
of the office of President until the
return to this country of President
Wilson.
Senator Cummins. of Iowa drafted
resolution, which he will introduce
providing for a committee of eight
Senators, four Republicans and four
Democrats, to go to Versailles for
the peace conference with a view to
reporting to the Senate after the
treaty has been submitted to it for
ratification and explaining the why's
and wherefores of the various points.
Senator Weeks, of Massachusetts,
prepared a similar resolution.
Chairman Hitchcock of the For
eign Relations Committee announced
that he would ask to have all such
resolutions referred to the committee
which, 1t was indicated was likely
tn tri,. L.
In a serious discussion of such res
olutions several Democratic leaders
agreed that if such a committee went
to Paris as the representatives of
the treaty-ratifying power of the
United States It would be given am
pie opportunity to inform itself by
the representatives of the Allied
governments.
The only opposition that developed
to the proposal was based not on
support of the President, but be-
cause some of the Senators thought
it would put the Senate in an undig-
'nified position.
Perhaps the most bitter condemna-
tion of the President which was
made around the Capitol for publl-
cation was given by Senator Hiram
johnson. of California. He said
There is no God but God, and
Mohammed is his prophet. In select
ing himself as the head of the five
American delegates to the peace
conference. President Wilson has
named himself five times. We can
not but admire the courage of the
President in saying to the los, ,O0O.-
600 of our people: Il am the only
American fit to sit at the peace
table, %