The Birmingham age-herald., 1919-06-18
KNOX MAKES PLEA
 AGAINST ACCEPTING LEAGUE HASTIL Y
Presidents Speaking Tour to Cover Three Weeks and Will Follow Appearance Before Congress Early in July
By Assoc sisd Pres,

Washington, June IF. A plea against nasty acceptance of the league of nations was made to the senate today by Senator Knox, republican, of Pennsylvania, in a carefully prepared address analyzing features of the league covenant and cautioning that it's ratifi- ' cation would mean a far de. parture from American tradi tions.
 1 The league, declared the former secre- ltary of state. would inevitably result in government empowered to act even upon the domestic affairs of mem- ber nations and to preserve for all time the territorial boundaries shortly to be fixed by the peace treaty. He asserted the new Monroe Doctrine provision would efface that policy from international af- fairs and argued that the amendment adopted to cover withdrawal of league members would make such withdrawal absolutely impossible"
 I The speech. which held closer attention in the senate chamber than any previous utterance of the treaty controversy. marked the beginning of debate on Mir knox's resolution declaring the terms of peace should be ratified without delay and the league of nations proposal left l lat fla.
 l 1T ask for time," said the senator in explaining his measure. merely to con- 1 slider whether or not under the covenant as drawn, the power to put us at war will still rest with us or be placed in a body outside our own government and | if placed outside. whether or not such lodging of the sovereign power is desir- able.
 ! "1 ask only for time to deliberate | whether or not we shall put 1t beyond our power to increase the size of our | army and our navy in times of dire emergency without first consulting the wish or desires of other countries" l The Knox resolution, expected to re- suit in a bitter debate, did not come technically before the senate, and the senator made his address in the midst of an appropriation bill debate. He had given previous notice of his intention to speak. however, and the galleries were ioverflowins and nearly every senator in l his seat Tomorrow the first speech against the resolution will be made by Senator McCumber of North Dakota, q republican member of the foreign rela- tions committee.
 FURTHER PLANS ANNOUNCED
 Additional plans for President Wilson s speaking tour for the league were reveal ed today in official circles. It became known that the trip probably would cover period of three weeks and would follow directly the Presidents appear ance before joint session of the senate and house to present and explain the treaty and the league covenant. It was said Mr. Wilson would leave France on June 24 or 25 should Germany sign the peace treaty and probably would arrive here about July 3.
 finally on the peace terms by June 2 greatly diminished hopes of bringing the Knox resolution to vote before the treaty is signed at Versailles.
 The result was a series of conferences
 today among league opponents who prev
 iously had planned to try for a roll call to warn the peace delegates what oppo- sition the league would encounter if sub mitted here intertwined with the treaty
 Although no definite course had beer agreed on tonight, it is likely there will be desperate effort to have a test votf l on some cDlldterdl issue frludy OT odt- Iurday. An alternative suggestion unde: consideration is the introduction of [ ljoint resolution to declare war at an en<. and thus relieve congress of blame fof
 prolongation of war conditions while rat
 ifcation of the treaty is delayed.
 It is not considered likely that there will be an effort to bring the Kno- measure technically before the senate un
 til Friday when Chairman Lodge of the
 foreign relations committee returns te
 the captal. The debate on it will con
 tinue, however, and Senator Thomas
 democrat, of Colorado, gave notice todas he would speak Thursday and other sen ators are known to be preparing ad-
 dresses
 PEACE DEMAND UNIVERSAL
 Tn opening his address today Senator
 Knox said there was a demand every
 where for immediate conclusion of peace
 so that normal conditions could be re