Norwich bulletin., 1919-03-04
WASHINGTON AFFAIRS

Aie''i-'' 4 ~ y 10 nv bOuBL FQl Will
every man in congress wants univer-
sal peace and would swallow the
league OF nations plan whdle--hook,
halt and Sinker. if he believed ihWou.d
| secure that end. Bat there Is an
| honest difference OF opinion as to
| whether such a league would stop war
or involve the United States in every
war to come on any part of the globe,
and the senate has rung with eloquent
| speeches both for and against the pro
| ject.
In the matter of an extra session
| the question of whether or not the
| United States might be placed in a
| hazardous position by the prolonged
absence of the president in Europe if
| congress is not in session, has been
| the motive of most of the movement
| for forcing a session in the early
spring. The president frankly states
lie Ill return to France on March 5th
for an indefinite period. That leaves
only a slender thread of cable to keep
| the executive of the nation in touch
with its affairs. There will be no leg
l5lative branch \of the government
qualified to act even in emergency I'M
| til the newly elected congress takes it's
| oath of allegiance and fully qualities.
There are many leaders in both politi-
cal parties who believe such a con-
| dition will be hazardous and these
men are willing to use the only weap-
on in their hands to force a session.
Their only power lies in failing to
pass appropriation bills without which
the government cannot be run, and
as a patriotic duty they are willing to
assume that responsibility, even in
| face of the determined opposition of
| the president who declares he will not
call a session until his return after
months of absence, the date of return
he admits to be predetermined. Con-
gress has been in almost continuous
session night and day, while these
great questions have been under con-
sideration.
President Wilson is said to be high
! ~ incenSed at the opposition his plans
have met. and is quoted as ruthlessly
condemning the men who are leaders
in the opposition movement. He did
not honor congress by an address or
a greeting of any sort. He came to
the capital but once and that was
for the purpose of urging democratic
senators to be unrelentless in their in
sistence that all talk against the
league of nations be suppressed and
that all bills bearing administration
approval be passed without further
parIey. He stood in the presidents
iOOiii AhiIiI9 Ills DiltL WISH ana re-
ceived only men of his own party. He
is quoted as having made very caustic
remarks regarding the senators who
failed to fall in line, but however that
may be it is certain his smile was not
like the gentle rain from heaven. It
!, did not fall alike on the just and the
unjust. His greeting to Senator
James Hamilton Lewis and Congress
man Tom Hefiin of Alabama, who Of
ten act as his spokesman, was cor
, dial in the extreme, but when sturdy
Senator Chamberlain attempted to pay
: his respects, the president gave him a
cold stare, permitted a limp hand
shake and then, turned his back on
he chairman of the senate military
committee without a word. This is not
! ! hearsay but first hand information
, The Oregon senator took his rebuff
i, with perfect calmness and retired
from the room with undisturbed dig
nifty
, Senator Brandegee has been fire.
; Quently quoted the past week in con-
: llection with the league of nations. F'ol
: instance. did he or did he not say
. the morning after the famous foreign
q relations dinner at the White House
y feel rs if 7 had been wandering
with Alice in Wonderland, and eater
with the Mad Halter. I shall 1ool
for the White Rabbit to 81. down Il
Q breakfast with me" The senate,
i smiles broadly when asked question!
] regarding that remark attributed t,
o him by New York papers. but says
: nothing. One thing is certain, Mr.
> Brandegee is firm in believing that i
. IL practical results and not idealisu
O. that the world needs at this moment
e Mr.. Brandegee afFirrns the statenen
| that he asked the president the direc
= question 'Will The IeaEtie Of nations
O prevent WARP" and the president
. piled at will not prevent war, but !
: will make war impossible without frs
discussing it,
Commenting on the proposed con
; eressiOnaI recess until after the pres
= ident returns from Europe at som
o future date of which no intimation i
vet given Senator Brandegeo calls at
n tenti0n to the condition in which tn
f country would find itself under thos
. / CirCum stances. He is strongly on
:. rcsed to having the president Oversee.
u ard congress not in session. He be
= lieves it should be in session as
II means OF informing the country of ex
IL isting conditions. With the cable
e under administra ton control, and
a censorship over ell European state
+ T9erts concerning the workings Of tn
9 conference Mr.. Prandegee believes tn
= PEOPLE Of the country will be kent e
3 tirelv in the dark 4 6 to true condition,
u unless they can ha in touch with tn
- legislative body which reDresents tn
e people in national and internationa
e measures.
More than 1000 bills askinu for do
nations of German cannon for cite
and towns have been presented Z;
congress. The military committe
g found the number available would b
:, limited and that If wae ir1oossible t
make an advance distribution of t
a so agreed that no action on the bill
- should be taken at this session. Tha
means that all such bills will be re
, introduced in the seth congress. I
~ the matter of turning over to ConneC
20 Lieut. the German gun captured by tt
2tth division now at Boston Their
n seems to be but little chance that tn
,e Lonergan bill to take congressionf
10 action will be acted on. The Connet
% ttcut dele~ation as a whole, is anxiou
the gun shall be given over to tha
IS state, but except Mr.. Lonergan, an
lie parentlv believes that it will be bette
ID accomplished through more diplomati
channels, as the Massachusetts dele
1t cation would ,unquestionably make a
w determined a stand to retain IL as tn
- Connecticut delegation would to g
q cure it. Senators Mclean and Brar
degee stand ready to do whatever
10 necessary to get the matter before II
E. senate, if Gov. Holcomb requests cor
Sc Rressional action be taken. Mr.. Erar
IS degee wrote the governor to that e.
feet several weeks ago but has re
- ceived no reply.
a. The interstate commerce committe
~, of the house reported favorabiy a bi
y to restore the coast guard to II
III treasury department, on the grcur
that it should now be performing i