New-York tribune., 1919-12-05
Foreign Relations Com
mittee Picks Fall and
Hitchcock to Take All
Facts to White House
Lansing Has Not
Told Him of Crisis
Executive May Refuse to
Grant Audience; Fall
Resolution Is Held I'm
By Carter Field
Neto York Tribune
Washington Bureau

Washington Bureau
WASHINGTON, Dec. A. The
Mexican situation was put squarely
up to President Wilson to-day by the
Senate Foreign Relations Committee,
after an all day session in which
Secretary of State Lansing testified
he had not discussed Mexico with the
President since Mr.. Wilson's break
down in September.
Over the protest of all the Demo-
cratic members present the commit
tee voted to send committee of two
Senators, Fall and Hitchcock, to call
upon the President and lay before
him personally the entire Mexican
situation.
The purpose Of the visit is not only
to ascertain his views on the Fall
resolution, which requests him to
withdraw formal recognition from
Carranza and to sever diplomatic
relations with Mexico, but to ac-
quaint him with the evidence against
Carranza, particularly on the dis
tribution in the United States by
Carranza agents of Bolshevik prop
aganda.
Wants Presidents Views
At the same time che visit would
give the Senate first hand informa-
ton of the present state of Mr.. Will
sons health.
The committee decided that it did
not wish to act on the Indictment of
Carranza, which was presented not
only by Senator Fall but by Ambas-
sador Fletcher, who was before the
committee both this morning and
this afternoon, until it had ascer-
tanned the Presidents views.
The vote in committee on the mo-
ton to send subcommittee to call
personally on the President was 6
to 5. Senator'S Lodge, Borah, Fall,
New, johnson and Moses, all Repub-
licans, voted for it. Senators Hitch
cock, Williams, Swanson, Pittman
and Shields, all Democrats, voted
against it.
Senator Shields fatty character
lied the move as "foolishness," TAX
ing the position that the President
was not in physical condition to dis
cuss such an important question, and
adding that the committee knew
pretty we'll what it ought to do about
Mexico, anyhow.
Shields Urges War
Mr.. Shields yesterday, on the floor
of the Senate, urged war on Mexico
instead of the milder course proposed
by the Fall resolution.
Senator Hitchcock expects to tele-
phone to the White House~to morrow
and ascertain if the President can SEQ
the two representatives Of the COM
mittee
Meanwhile, DR.. Cary T. Grayson. the
Presidents physician, made it plain at
the White House that before he would
permit Mr.. Wilson to see the Senators
he would have to know what they were
going to say to him. Dr. Grayson,
while making no formal statement, is
evidently anxious to avoid subjecting
his patient at this time to any severe
strain.
Mr.. Lodge made it clear that
the committee of two sent to call on
the President could not discharge its
function in any other way than by ac-
tually seeing the President. If it 10
asked to write letter or to commu-
nicate with the President through any
third party. the sub committees duty
is to report back to the Foreign Rela-
tions Committee the inability to sec
the President. Mr. Lodge said
"The Foreign Relations Committee
represents the Senate, and this sub
committee represents the Foreign Re-
lations Committee" Mr.. Lodge added,
$50 that this is the Senate asking for q
conference with the President on .
highly important matter. OF course. any
Senator can ask an audience with the
President. but tk:- is the Senate calling
upon him."
Senator Hitchcock would not reveal
his reasons for opposing the visit to
the White House, but other Democratic
Senators were rather caustic tonight.
declaring that the whole move was q
Republican trick to hold up before the
country The idea that the President
was not physically able to perform. his
duties as directing head Of the gov7kn-
ment.