The sun., 1919-03-02
LEAGUE PROTESTS
SWAMP SENATORS
Thousands Of Messages From
All Over Country Urge Re-
lection of Scheme.
GROWING WEAKER DAILY
''Sun's" Report of the White
House Dinner Correct, Par
Elephants Assert.
BY a stan Correspondert OF TIE sun.

| uclpdntS Assert.
BY a Stag Correspondent Of THE SUN.
WASHINGTON. March 1.-Since WASH
| ington Is the barometer which registers
the thought pressure OF the people It IL
interesting to note what is showing on
the dial as concerns the League of Ma
lions. This much is clear: sentiment for
the scheme 10 perceptlbly weaker to-
day than when Mr.. Wilson landed at
Boston. There can be no questioning
this statement Even the Democratic
leaders are admitting it-soms of them
with poorly concealed glee.
Senators and Representatives have
been deluged with letters and kilograms,
especially in the last forty-eisht hours.
from the people of their States who say
quito generally that they had been mis-
informed about the project: that It is the
duty of the Senate to reject the proposed
constitution. Thousands of such letters
could be quoted--tens OF Thousands
Their tone Is distinctly different from the
tone Of such correspondents some weeks
ago.
THE SUN correspondent has been told
| by dozen Senators In the last twenty
four hours that letters Of this nature
are beginning to take on an ominous
| character. On the other hand those
Senators that have attacked the cove
nant and exposed It's weakness and
icousness-Poindexter (wash.). Reed
| (Mo.). Borah (Idaho), Lodge Mass
Frelinghuysen IN. J). Lenroot owls }.
4 LII ~ D.
| have been SO warmly praised from every
part Of the country as to leave no doubt
as to how the tides are running.
Senators Hear From People.
Now that the Senators are hearing
from the people Il Is possible to specify
some OF the reasons why Americans are
| setting themselves against the Wilson
sponsored plan. First and foremost, as
! he letters say, examination of the plan
| shows that II Is something quite differ
ent from what Mr.. Wilson represented
It to be. They note that Mr.. Wilson
preserved this disingenuous attitude un-
, Ill the memorable dinner to the Foreign
CommitteNa when he was unable to
evade leading questions.
There has been much feeling over the
whole question Of Ireland as II was
brought up at the dinner. Senator
Hitchcock (Neb.). after denying that the
Irish question had come up at all at the
dinner. was forced to confess that 1t had
come UP ''as a laughing matter which
was not seriously considered" and
finally to confess that It was seriously
discussed and that the President stated
that Ireland must be left outside OF the
League OF Nations because Irish indie
pendence Us a domestic matter OF British
concern only. The exact phrase en-
ployed by the President in replying to a
question addressed to him by Represent
alive Ragsdale IS. c. was:
Well, Ireland is a part OF the King
dom OF England, is 1t not?"
Before this topic is put to one side 1t
may be worth mentioning that the Re
publican Senators 30 resent Mr.. Hitch
cocks attempt to misrepresent the situa-
ton that on the way to luncheon after
the colloquy in the Senate one OF them.
Brandegee Comm, remarked dryly to
Hitchcock:
Il see that you found It necessary TO
lie on the floor Of the Senate"
"sun" Report Entirely Correct.
Mr.. Brandegee followed the vir-
ginian's advice he smiled when he said
II; but anybody who knows Brandegee
VIII understand the depth OF feeling IN
the sentence. Mr. Hitchcock avoided n
direct reply whereupon the Senator from
Connecticut said:
! THE SUNS report OF what I asked
the President and Of what the President
replied to Ragsdale and me was entirely
correct. Its report OF what Lodge and
Knox and William Alden Smith said was
entirely correct. as those gentlemen have
said to me. Had your rules not cut us
on from speaking We would have told
you 30 on the foor."
The letters referred to show that great
disappointment is felt over the country
because OF the Presidents admission that
the plan for league cannot be expected
to prevent war. The expectation reach
Ing every home no doubt was the senti-
mental basis for the public support the
| plan seemed to have before Mr.. Wilson
made his astonishing disclosure
Now people are writing 70 the Sena-
! tors that II the league will not stop war
! II Is OF no earthly use TO the United States
| The point Is so important that the cor
respondent OF THE Sun was at pains
to-day TO seek further verincation Of the
fact that Mr.. Wilson did mako this nd
| mission. The confirmation was obtained
| from men whose recollection was clear
on that point, both Republicans and
Democrats. II is one OF tho few topics
OF the dinner about which there has
beer no disagreement. no Conflict as to
shfsfes of meaai1S =.