The sun., 1919-07-23
WILSON POWERLESS
UNTIL RATIFICATION


sing, Gen. Bliss and Henry White,
made against the Shantung settlement
Likewise, there was a resolution of
inquiry by Senator La Toilette (Wis)
for Information as to why Costa Rica
although one Of the Allies against Ger
many was excluded from the peace
conference and from the privilege OF
| signing. the treaty.
No reason was apparent to the
committee why the request for the
protest against the Shantung settle
ment should be forwarded promptly,
because II Ia obviously at the disposal
of the State Department and can
hardly be regarded as anything but a
concern OF the American delegation.
Senator Lodge insists that the SEN
ate is now obviously entitled to every
thing bearing on the treaty because
the treaty has passed out Of the pur-
view Of the executive branch OF the
hands of the Senate branch Of that
authority. Therefore, the Senate is
Just as much entitled to this inforrna-
ton now az 1t Is to the treaty itself.
AnrOnts without Precedent.
Mr.. Lodge pointed out that during a
Senatorial experience covering all Ad-
ministrations, beginning with that of
President Cleveland, there had never
been a time when the Senate's re-
quests for information were treated In
the cavalier fashion they are now. In
deed. throughout the history of the
| Lao
the Executive Department to give
prompt and provisioning information
to the Senate except in rare cases in
which the Executive took the ground
that the communication would not be
in the public interest.
Republicans OF the committee were
| particularly incensed at the President
! for sending for individual Senators to
hold private conversations In the effort
| to influence them, while Withholding
| from the Senate the documentary facts
to which II Is entitled and which It
needs IL 1t Is to act intelligently on
| the treaty.
Mr.. Hitchcock assured the committee
that there Is not in existence anything
| in the nature OF detailed report of
the proceedings of the Peace Conference,
and therefore It cannot be forwarded
To this Senator Lodge replied tartly
that he knew stenographic report was
| made Of the sessions of the Big Four, "
although he understood there were other
sessions in private OF which no report
was made. He insisted also that the
commission which drafted the League OF
| Nations covenant kept a regular journal
Of all it's proceedings He knew that
n daily protocol was prepared and after
| ward initiated by members of the Su-
| preme Council
At times, according to Mr. Lodges
information, the report OF proceedings OF
the Big Four" was edited and modi-
fed by members OF that group before
It was accepted. 50 that the record might
be left In the shape they were willing
to have II exist as a permanent docu-
| ment In short there was a sharp diver
| gence Of testimony ms between Mr.
Hitchcock and Mr.. Lodge the latter
insisting that he was perfectly certain
OF his position.
Nothing resulted from the days dis
cussion on this point, but 1t developed
that the committee is in no cheerful
state of mind at the treatment II Is re-
ceiving at the hands OF the Executive.
Reading of Treaty Continues.
Meanwhile the committee il continu-
ing with its task of reading the treaty,
and Senator Lodge has been assuring
the committee that he hoped TO have the
document reported In another week on
the other hand, some doubts are ex-
pressed whether II can be done inside OF
| a fortnight Whether any OF the infor-
nation asked for will be received from
the President before the committee re-
ports the treaty is beginning 70 be
| doubted. II Is admitted that II the
great mass of information that has been
asked should finally be forwarded any
thing like thorough examination of 1t
would make a report within a week or
even two weeks impossible.
Much curiosity Is manifested as to
whether the American draft of plan
for the league Is going to be submitted
| TO the committee. Senator Lodge has
positive information that at least two
copies of this document are in this coun-
try, aside from those officially held One
/ is understood to have been brought back
by an attache of the Peace. Commission
and at least one Senator has had the
privilege OF examining one OF these two
1t is stated that Article X. was not in
the original American draft.
President Wilson resumed to-day hold
ing conferences with Republican Sena-
tors, interviewing Senators Cummins
| Ga.J, Edge On. j. and Calder On ",
! Following their visit at the White House
all spoke pleasantly Of their conference
, with the President, observing that there
was nothing dogmatic or insistent In the
! Presidents attitude. Mr.. Cummins re-
called to the President that in the clos
ing days OF the last Congress he made a
speech stating his view OF the League
of Nations and assured the President
that ne had experienced no change OF
mind since.
The President admitted that he re-.
called the essential parts OF that ad
dress Mr. Cummins admitted that one
objection he had formerly entertained
had been removed by the amendment
since made in the form of the covenant
whereby the United States Is no longer
compelled to accept mandate for a for
eign country. His other objections have
not been removed and he said he wa:
opposed now as formerly to the league
without reservations
Article X. May Mean Nothing.
Mr.. Cummins referred TO the speed
OF Senator McNary (Ore.), made in tn,
Senate to-day, wherein among othel
things Article X was discussed Mr.
McNary took the ground that Article y
meant that II the United States wal
| called on to participate in protecting
the sovereignty or territory of a member
nation II would be perfectly free Il
respond or not as II might determine
In view of the circumstances. Mr.. Cum
Minis said that II this construction OF tn,
article were correct then he SHOULD
have no objection to II because in effec
TT would mean that Article Y. mean
nothing At all,
The Shantung settlement was dis