Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1919-06-26
BLOCK RESOLUTION
|. PROPOSED BY FALL
TO CALL WAR OVER
Senate Foreign Relations
Committee Votes to
Defer Action.
FAILS TO GAIN SUPPORT
OF WORLD LEAGUE FOES
Some Object to Present Measure
Until After Treaty Is
Signed.
CALLS FOR STATE OF PEACE
Senator From New Mexico Will Press
for Favorable Consideration
ON Monday.
CALLS FOR STATE OF PEACE
TBv Associated Press I

WASHINGTON, June 25.-Failing to
command the united support of oppo-
nents of the league OF nations, the pro-
posal for an immediate declaration OF
peace by Congress was blocked today
in the Senate Foreign Relations Com
mittee.
After long and lively discussion,
the committee voted. IL to 4. to defer
action for the present on the resolu-
tion of Senator Fall. Republican. New
Mexico, embodying the peace declara-
ton. Five Senators opposing the
league. including Chairman Lodge.
Joined the league advocates in support
ing the postponement motion. Besides
Mr. Fall, those voting for immediate
action were Senator'S Borah. Idaho;
johnson. California, and Moses New
Hampshire. all Republicans.
Special Meeting Called.
Later special meeting to resume
consideration of the resolution was
called for Monday, and Senator Fall
predicted favorable report OF the
however. declared the discussion today
revealed such strong opposition In the
committee that favorable action would
be impossible. although. 1t was said.
the principal point discussed was the
advisability Of urging such a resolu-
tion before the treaty had been signed
After the committees decision Mr.
Fall announced in the Senate that he
would not ask for action on his amend
ment to the army bill, also embodying
thus failed actually to come before the
the peace declaration. The amendment
Senate. having been technically dis
posed OF previously, when a. section
TO which II had been attached went
out OF the bill on a point of order.
Three-Hour Debate.
Although the peace declaration pro-
posal was not discussed in the Senate
chamber during the day, Senator
other issues OF the treaty by renewing
his attack on the league covenants
Citing the army bills provision for an
army of 100000 men, the Idaho Sena-
tor declared the league would increase
rather than decrease armament.
Senator Borah pointed out that Gen
eral March. chief of staff, had told the
Senate Military Committee an army OF
100000 would be sufficient for the
United States under the league of
nations if the other nations do their
share" and added:
Heaven only knows what we will
| need IL the other nations do not. If
we are going. to exercise economic
pressuer on other nations for every
little cause. IL were going to police
the world he is a dr.yeling idiot who
thinks that means anything but stu
penduous army"
Hitchcock CnIIs Reed.
Senator Reed, Democrat. Missouri.
| interrupted to say that British states
men and newspapers had declared
Great Britain would not materially re-
| duce her navy because OF the creation
of the league.
II deny that most emphaticalIy," said
Senator Hitchcock, Democrat, Ne
braska. And l assert it most posi-
lively" replied Senator Reed, promis-
ing to submit statements Of Winston
Churchill and others.
In committee discussion of the peace
declaration today, the proponents of
immediate action are understood to
have argued that Germany's accept
ance OF the treaty was assured and
with an actual condition of peace es-
tablished the sooner O formal and tech
nical declaration was made the bet
ter. Such a declaration would they
argued, permit resumption of in
dustrial relations with Germany, which
would have to wait otherwise ON the
treaty's ratification.
May Not Have Power.
Those opposing Immediate action are
said to have taken the ground that if
Congress were empowered to act in the
matter at all, II ouCth not to do so
until the treaty actually had been
signed Others are said to have held
that the resolution was Unnecessary
and that peace conditions would not
necessarily wait upon ratification of
the treaty. There also we're sugges-
tions that 1t was the duty of the Pres
ident. and not Congress, to make such
a declaration.