Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1919-01-16
Montague pcrcnds the prcsi,,cm

W HErIIER or not Woodrow Wilson stood
w in need of defense from tho critics OF
his course in breaking the hoary precedent
that an American President must not leave
American shores. going to Europe and par
ticipating personally in the peace conference,
Il most able and convincing one has been fur
nished for him by Andrew Jackson Montague.
former Governor of Virginia, now Rcprcscn-
tative from tho Third District Mr. Nionta-
que i'll an address delivered in the House
on Tuesday. right valiantly look up the cudgels
for the President, and when he concluded
he had left little ground for the critics. who
have been seeking to make political capital
out of the Presidents course, to stand on.
To Mr.. Montague there can be no question
OF the Presidents constitutional right TO go
to the Versailles conference. 1t is his CON
stitutional right TO make treaties. hence. his
right, implied at least to so where those
treaties arc in the making. Should he wish
to do so he might take personal command
of the army or navy and go whthersoever
his duties might call him, and it is peculiarly
his province, now above all other times. 10
determine how and where he can be of great
est service 10 the nation.
Mr.. Montague pleads with the peope to
compose ali differences of opinion, withhold
all adverse comment, and unite in The Frd-
idents support, in the full knowledge That
England and France insisted on hiS rSesenca.
and that hostility at home now mil 1t weaken
their confidence His critics, it Ills poiphd
out, are contradictory and inconsS ent., They
score Wilson in one breath for Mailing TO
make n full statement Of his air s1xlHk giyo
publicity TO every detail of the va. kfseaoss
in Europe. and in the next they favor \the
old commission form of treaty making With
all its secrecy and stealth. Neither has the
Senate right to feel that it has been ignored
Only once in the making of COO American
treaties has Senator sat as member of the
treaty making body. In fact. it always has
been held that it would be grave handicap
even an improperly, for the Senate to sit
in judgment on an instrument its own mem
bers had heiped TO prepare. And as TO
publicity, Wilson has been far more explicit
in his statements economic barriers free
dom OF the seas, the league of nations and
other important questions that will come be-
fore the conference than have any of the
allied Premiers. He even has been forced
to disclaim many OF the ideas on these sub
jecis which have been wrongly imputed 10
him.
Mr.. Montague IS not convinced Of the prac-
;ical administration OF league Of nations
but he can see nothing else that promises
any ground for hope OF an enlurin,, peace
He believes it worth trial and in the alb
sence OF something better is willing to take
a chance" Nor must its formation be post
poned, for there is ever present that threat
OF BolsheYikism. Of which the nations must
take cogn:zance
Mr.. Montagues effort in behalf Of the
president IS one of the strongest he has
made during his service in the House ana
it will carry much weight with those who
have been inclined 10 doubt the wisdom OF
the Presidents course, or, ignoring its wis
dom, have sought TO capitalize it for Marty
purposes.