Omaha daily bee., 1919-02-27

Says Chaos viii 0verWheIm
Europe if Plan Is Rejected;
Fails to Change Views
of Opponents.

Washington, Feb. 26.-President
Wilson told members of the con-
gressional foreign relations commit.
tees tonight that unless the United
States entered the league Of nations i.
the league would fall and chaos and
turmoil beyond description would
result in Europe.
The president was said to have
told the senators and representatives
that the league constitution adopted
was proposed by Great Britain, but
was not the one drawn by General
Smutz, one of the British authorities
on the league proposal Drafts pre-
sented by the United States, France
and Italy were rejected.
Views of republican members op-
posing the league constitution as re-
ported to the peace. conference ap-
parently were not changed by the
conference.
Discussion Of the constitution as
presented to the peace conference
was said to have been quite general
and the president was questioned
closely, especially by Senator Bran
degee of Connecticut Republican
Leader Lodge and Senator Knox of
Pennsylvania, former secretary Of
state, took very little part.
Free Discussion Sanctioned.
The president, after making an
opening explanatory statement, an
swered all questions freely and spe-
officially emphasized that his guests
were free to discuss the conference
and all its information with newspa-
per men or others.
One question on which much time
was spent was whether a nation
once in the league could Withdraw.
raised by Senator Brandegee. The
president was said to have held that
any country could withdraw, but
Senator Brandegee contended this
would be impossible under the con-
stitutlon as now drafted.
Monroe Doctrine Guaranteed.
President Wilson denied that the
league plan would Interfere with the
Monroe doctrine, declaring that the
doctrine would be guaranteed BY all
the member powers in the world
society.
The president was said to have
held that the mandatories in the
constitution were not compulsory,
but required the consent of the ma
tions to which the mandatory was
assigned. Senators said he express
ed the opinion that the United
States would desire to become a
for Armenia.
On the question of American
sovereignty, the president was said
to have taken the position that re-
cession of American sovereignty was
not a new precedent, being an in
cident of every treaty,
Disarmament Section Misconstrued.
Chairman Hitchcock of the senate
committee said the president held
that decisions of the leagues ex-
ecutive council on disarmament
would not be binding, until specif-
cally approved by each signatory
nation, and that consequently the
American congress would have the
opportunity to pass on the ap-
portionment of armament for every
nation concerned. The president
said this section had been miscon-
strued.
Concerning the clause giving the
right to the league to consider acts
threatening world peace, President
Wilson said that the clause was in
definite and would be made more
clear by writing in a safeguard
which would require that every
recommendation by the council
should be unanimous.
1t was also said the president in
formed the senator's and representa-
tives that the disarmament provision
would not interfere with the mill
tary training of men, but that it was
evident that a trained body OF men
would not be danger to world
peace if their armament supplies
we're kept in check.
Mr.. Wilson said the provision for
enforcing the determination Of the
council in case it was disobeyed by
any nation would apply in only onS
case, and that where the party
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