Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1919-08-21

gross is right, am indifferent to foreign
criticism"
COMPACT STEADIES THE WORLD
Senator Harding, republican. Ohio, sug
Gested there was no necessity of
written compact for this republic to
fulfill its moral obligations to civilization"
to which the President rejoined
But it steadies the whole world by it's
promise beforehand that it will stand
with other nations If similar judgment
maintained right in the world"
When Senator Brandesee asked the
Presidents opinion on the concrete case
of the present trouble between Roumania
and Hungary. the President said he could
not answer because that would involve
passing judgment on a foreign political
question in a way he considered in
advisable.
Senator Brandegee also called attention
that many authorities on internal law
had differed as to the meaning of var
ious provisions of the treaty and that
Charles +. Hughes, William Howard
Taft, and Elihu Root had suggested
reservations. but the President insisted
that he thought it perfectly safe to leave
the present language to the interpreta ton
the United States would suffer by their
construction.
When Senator Fall, republican, New
Mexico, suggested that any amendments
to the league covenant would not re-
quire Germany's assent as she was not
a member of the league the President
replied he never had thought of that
feature. He disagreed with Senators
Brandesee and Knox, republican. Penn
sylvania. who asserted that the treaty
would come into force among all the
signatories as soon rs three had ratified
1t.
QUESTIONED FOR THREE HOURS
For more than three hours the COM
mittee members questioned the President
and afterward they stayed for luncheon
at the White House When the recess
was taken there had been no discussion
whether the meeting was to be resumed
during the afternoon but later it was de-
cided not to do so. There was no intima-
ton tonight whether the committee
would seek a further conference To-
morrow it will resume its open hearings
at the Capitol.
Senator Fall left with Mr. Wilson a
list of questions which the latter said
he would reply to at length later. They
concern the powers Of the President or
Congress to declare state of peace, de-
tails OF the resumption of trade and
diplomatic relations with Germany, what
disposition is TO be made Of the German
colonies. and the need for American re-
presentation on various European recon-
structon commissions.
SENATORS ISSUE STATEMENT.
The Presidents declaration of a COM
pelllng moral obligation under the
League was emphasized in a statement
issued jointly tonight by Senators Borah
Idaho. and Johnson, California, republi-
can members of the committee and two
OF the bitterest opponents to the treaty
in its present form. They declared the
days testimony had borne out their
claim that the league would lead to
interminable foreign complications. They
also pointed out that Senator Johnson
had developed in the days meeting that
good part of the territorial settlement
resulting from the war was vet to he
determined.
PRESIDENT WANTS NEWS SPREAD
The arrangements for publishing a
transcript of the discussion, which grew
out OF suggestion from the committee
that senators be not required to keen
the proceedings in confidence, had Mr.
Wilson's personal supervision.
After the committee had departed he
went to the White House basement whers
the newspaper correspondents were wait
ing for the last Of the stenograph!c re-
port and asked whether everything there
was going smoothly
Il came down. he said to the corre-
spondents Ito inquire Of you gentlemen
II the report of the conference was han
died the way you wanted"
WRONGLY INFORMED
The President in his statement at the
opening of the conference said he he.
lieved only the meaning of certain parts
Of tn league covenant stood in the way
of ratification of the treaty. Later Sena-
tor Brandegee told him he had been
wrongly informed on that subject "a
there was much serious opposition in the
Senate to the Shantung provisions and to
other features
When the question of moral obligation
was raised, Senator Harding suggested
hat the covenant provisions might amount
to "surrendering the suggestion of moral
obligation for this republic to the preju-
dices and necessities of the nations Of the
old world
Il do not understand that We do
surrender" replied the President.
would you not understand a decree
by the council to be a suggestion of
this moral obligation"
WHY FACT Is VALUABLE.
Certainly ! would. but we would
have to concur in that before it had
any force of any kind"
Then what permanent value is
there to this compact"
The greatest permanent value is
the point that | have raised. We are
assuming that the United States will
not concur in the greatest moral
judgment Of the world In my opinion
she generally will"
WHEN BRITAIN HAS ONE VOTE.
Asked whether all the British
dominions would he barred from vot-
ing on any question affecting the
British empire. the President said that
In such case the entire empire would
have but one vote
Referring to the clause in the spe-
cinl defensive treaty with France
which provides that 1t can come into
force only - approved by the league.
Mr. Rrandegee asked whether II was
corstitutionally proper for the Sen.
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