New-York tribune., 1919-02-28
President, However, Will
Urge Amendment to En-.
force Territory DEGREES
Dinner Fails to Win
Over Its Opponents
Arguments Fail to Cons
vince All Members Of
Even His Own Party
New York T17buns
Washington Bureuu

WASHINGTON, Feb. 27.-Presidcns
Wilson will oppose vigorously any
amendment to the proposed constitu-
ton of the league of nations, save I'M
phraseology
This the President made clear in q
conference this afternoon at the Capi-
tol. From $3.50 TO $50 the President.
standing in his private room off the
Senate Chamber, received a stream of
callers, among them many members of
Congress, whom lie urged TO speed leg
lslation before adjournment next Tues
day.
Then the President discussed his
work at Paris with the newspaper cor
respondents. It was the first time the
President had invited the correspond
ents to meet MIN in several years
The President said he was firmly
convinced that in no particular did the
league charter conflict with the Amcri-
can constitution or the Monroe doc
trine.
One amendment, the President said,
would be necessary to the league con-
stitution, though he did not say
whether the questions and comments of
Senators and Representatives had any
thing TO do with this. This, he said.
was merely matter OF phraseology of
one section.
More Definite Power
This is in the section which has td
do with the Executive Council deciding.
questions referred to it by two nations
for arbitration. What would happen
should one of the parties accept the
decision and the other refuse is not
made clear, the President pointed out,
and the language should be made def
mite in that respect.
The President was very vigorous.
however, in opposing any other amend
ment to the constitution in his talks
at the Capitol. He stressed, as he did
last night, the difficulty of attempting
to make changes. He pointed out that
delegates with highly conflicting views
had merged, their differences in the
language adopted and now written into
the constitution. while to open the
document to amendment would mean
in many instances that these differ
ences between or among the nations
represented would be reopened and
further complication invited.
Not Ali of Party Satisfied
The Presidents insistence against
and his own satisfaction,
for the most part, with the text SO
far as safeguarding of Americas inter
ests is concerned have not persuaded
even all of his own party that the con-
stitution is as it should be.
To-day the men who attended the
dinner last night were divided into two
groups: Those who favored the league
before they went believed that the
President has swept away opposition in
large measure and presented incon-
trovertible arguments in favor of the
league plan; those who opposed the
league before they went are still op-
posed to it.
Opponents Of the league. for tho
most part speaking apparently with
out any feeling at all, said they were
surprised that the President had paid
SO little attention to the details in the
proposed legislation.
Differ With President
Senators opposed to the league plan
insist that the President is wrong on
several very important points in the
constitution. They do not think. for
instance, that the Unitea States could
withdraw from the league by abrogat-
ing the treaty as easily as the Presi-
dent seems to think.
They do not believe that the text of
the constitution gives as much laSi-
tude as to armaments as the President
talked with to-day. They do not think
the constitution gives the United
States Or other individual countries
the latitude in controlling it's intee
nal affairs which the Presiden..
claimed, particularly on such matters
as immigration. They do not believe
under the constitution as drawn the
United States could refuse to act aa
mandatory
t'ie iSSiutuC unUerSEanQS perfect
iy that he wants a league to preserve
peace said one Senator, land he
knows what we want to safeguard.
but the constitution he favors has noc
done 1t, and he is not clear enough in
ms own mind about this to recognize
it."
smarts Under Questioning
While no such strong language was
expressed openly to the President so
tar as could be learned. the Preaident
was evidently smarting slightly to- day
from the Nigor of questions along
lhese n iines asked last night by Senator
brandegee. Incidentally, the commenn
to-day was that Mr.. Brandegce acted