Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1919-09-27
EVENTS or A WEEK

EVENTS OF A WEEK
The speechmaking tour OF President Wilson was
brought to an abrupt close ON Friday at Wichita, Kan
.as. when on account Of the presidents illness all future
speaking dates were cancelled. and the special train
which has been the presidents home for the past three
weeks was started direct for Washington. Some Of the
dispatches which have come from the presidential train
from time to time have given fntimations of Mr.. Will
sons poor health, and Of the great physical strain under
which he was labortng. DR.. Grayson gave assurance that
there was nothing critical about tho presidents condi-
tion, but no insisted that his patient must have a rest
1T once, hence the tour was cut short.
Since a week ago. therefore, the conditions have
been reversed. Then Senator johnson. who had started
on what was intended TO be a trip to the coast. making
speeches in opposition to the League OF Nations cut
short his trip at Minneapolis and returned to Washing
ton to Join with his associates In further efforts to pre-
vent the adoption Of the League provisions At that time
there was no indication of a curtai1rnent of the predden-
tial trip. Now the president is compelled TO abandon the
remainder Of his tour, and Mr.. johnson has decided to
resume his series of addresses substantially according
to the original plan.
It is impossible for one at a distance, and It may
not be possible for even those who are close to tho
speakers to form any accurate estimate of what has
been accomplished by the addresses which have been
delivered. Both speakers have been greeted by large
crowds, and enthusiasm has been manifested at all the
meetings. Advocates and opponents Of the League have
both claimed many converts to their views as a result
Of the speeches made by their spokesnen. Just to what
extent the people who have assembled at these meetings
have been representative of the average population
there il no means to determine. So far as the imme-
date audiences are concerned, however, it is safe to as
Eumes that in each case the audience was made up very
largely of persons who were already substantially in
harmony with the views Of the speaker at that time.
The situation in the senate likewise remains OBJ
seure. Opponents of the League maintain that they have
scored in defeating their adversaries by a vote Of 4s to
20 on a motion to postpone consideration Of amend
ments. League advocates maintain that thi. vote does
not indicate the strength OF the two groups. and that
several who voted for postpenement viii vote against
the amendments when they are voted on.
An indication of the presidents attitude on one i'm
portant phase Of the question was given In one o. his
later addresses when Mr.. Wilson said that it would be
his duty as the nations executive to decide whether any
resolution Of ratification passed By the senate amounted
to acceptance or rejection Of the treaty. This is a re-
hinder Of the fact that while tho senate Is a part Of
the treaty making power, 1t acts in an advisory capacity
only. The senate can originate no treaty, nor can it
compel the ratification OF one. The treaty is originated
by tho executive, and must be ratified by him. The lat
ter act can be performed only after the senate has adj
vised ratification. but the senate's advice does not COM
pei executive action. In the present case the president
can decline to ratity II he chooses, and his recent state
ment may be taken to mean that he will 80 decline II
the resolution adopted by the senate contains matter
which, in his opinion. is in conflict with essential pro-
visions already written.
- -
e 1he Ieap,,e - Nrat;op~ is .11 h.}ur s.h.+.s IL.
spirit across the water. The French chamber has been
the scene Of some animated passages between the vener-
able Premier Clemenceau, who delivered a vigorous adj
dress on his 18th birthday. and some of his political OPP
ponents The opposition has used the peace treaty as a
peg on which to hang a lot Of political antasonisnn, a
course Of procedure which Is apt to be prevalent
wherever government is by parliamentary bodies. The
premier IN his address urged ratification Of the treaty.
and expressed confidence that the League Of Nations
would soon be an Accomplished fact. Presumably hay-
ing in mind statements made in tho United States SEN
ate that the other nations would Of necessity adopt
whatever changes in the treaty the United States saw
mt to propose, and that without the United States the
League could not exist, the French premier declared
specincaHy that the League could be formed and could
operate without the United States, but at the same time
he expressed the earnest hope that the American senate
would rahfy the treaty promptly.
I1#5$ . 80 t
The Ffune incident continues to b. on. ., -.
meet pefpiexins with which the Allied council has had
70 desi. DfAnnunzio and his irresulars are in control of
the city, and al other persons are keeping their hands
of.@Ths Italian government, even although 1t may not
be secretly pleased ct the turn events have taken, dare
not 9send Its own soldiers to dispossess D'Annunzio. for
there ~ g spirit OF mutiny In the italian army and navy
which ct any time may place either force out Of control
Italy has invited the Allies to take action but they havs
not displsysd any desire to do %. There, Is . srons
~ 1NA1fnRa that any aunN artSCu -, .S&E89
re Downfall Of the present Italian government. posibiy
thes abdicaticn or Opposition Of the king. and war be.
tween ite1y and her former associaaes IN the sreatsr
HA.
With the great ISL strike 4 week old nothin< con.