The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-03-16
President Throws Down
Gage of Battle to Repub-
licans in Congress.
TO HALT DISCUSSION
Opposing Nations to Be
Ignored by Him in the
Peace Conference.
ALLIED LEADERS AMAZED
Lloyd George and Clemenceau
Have Not Yet Given
Approval.
ALLIED LEADERS AMAZEB
BY LAURENCE HILLS,
StGf Correspondent Of THE SUN.


Copyright. 1912 all rights reserred.
PARIS, March 15.-President WI
son virtually has thrown down the
gage of battle not only to the Re-
publicans in the American Congress
but to the representatives of other ma
tions in the Peace Conference who
have been opposed to his plan to jam
through the present covenant Of the
League of Nations without any op-
portunlty for lengthy discussion or
revision in order to insert it in the
preliminary treaty with Germany.
That the President had any Idea
of pursuing the course advocated
strongly in British and French cir
cles In the last two weeks, namely,
to defer discussion of the league until
the preliminary treaty has been
signed was dlssipated to-day by a
denial issued by him that such a
course could or would be pursued
under the resolution of the con-
ference.
The Presidents denial confirms the
despatch TO The Sun yesterday that
he had returned resolved upon forcing
the league through Immediately, prac-
tically as 1t stands. thereby obtaining
this tactical advantage over the Re
publicans. who, he believes, will he
compelled then to ratify the treaty,
including the league covenant
Foreign Statesmen Amazed.
The statement by the President to
. day admittedly is one of the most
extraordinary developments Of the
Peace Conference. 1t is absolutely
contrary, as THE Sun has stated, to
the programme suggested here by the
leaders during his absence.
Andre Tardieu himself. the repre-
sentative of France in league mat
ters, declared publicly only last
Thursday that the league covenant
would not he II part of this treaty,
although he is an earnest supporter
of the league. The same statement
was repeated yesterday by the French
and British representatives, who then
apparently had not been informed of
the mood i'm which the President re
turned to France.
Surprise IL no word to express the
feelings caused in foreign circles by
the Presidents stand. Politicians
like Premier Lloyd George and Pre-
mier Clemcnceau undoubtedly ex-
pected some sort of compromise The
British, If statements to the CORE
spondent OF THE Sun as to the Presl-
dents role as spokesman for America
have any effect, have now been in
formed that the United States is for
the covenant and does not approve
any changes. In effect, as they see
it, the President has issued his de
fiHncc to the Republicans in Congress
and demanded that they back him.
Takes Cue From Dispatches,
The Presidents statement was is
sued early this morning after he had
|
that the conference now Is expected
to postpone the League Of Nations
until the preliminary treaty with
Germany has been signed. These
expectations apparently were based
on dispatches TO America to the effect
that British and French spokesmen
had stated the league would not be
incorporated in the treaty.
While the denial was based upon
these dispatches, II is believed 1t was
inspired principally by information
impaired to the President by Ool.
House regarding the feeling Of the
French and British that this peace
treaty should not contain the cove
nant.
The President discussed the league
question, It Is now known, with Pre-
mier Lloyd George and Premier
ClemenCeau yesterday 10 some eX-
tent, but gave no iutimation of this
move to-day, which surprised both of
them. The British Prime Minister
plainly had relied upon Col. House
to inform President Wilson of the
good progress made toward ,conclud-
, ing a simple preliminary treaty with
. Germany In short order and also to
persuade the President to defer the
league discussion So that this I'm
portant step toward establishing
peace in the world could he accom-
, plished IN the quickest possible time,
Some hint OF tho Presidents inten-
ton seems to have reached Premier