Arizona republican., 1919-02-21
FALL ALSO WILL
 NUT bE EPRESENT

THREE RIVERS, N. M, Feb. o. Senator Albert B. Fall declined the in vitation to attend the White House conference to discuss the league of na- ton plan adopted at Paris, because he declined to treat information obtained at such a conference as confidential, and believed the president should make his statement to congress in joint ses- sion.
 This became known tonight when Senator Fall, who is at his home here, gave to the Associated Press the text of the message which he sent yester- day to Secretary Tumulty.
 The text of Senator Falls message follows:
 Your letter of the fifteenth contain ing paraphrase of the presidents cable message to you of the fourteenth, for warded and received today from my office I will be much pleased to hear the president fully and upon each ar ticle of the proposed league of nations.
 Text of Message
 T could not, however, agree to treat as confidential any such explanation or even statement of fact as basis for such argument, and with utmost defer ence must say as the reason for de-
 
 i twenty eighth. that the statement in my opinion should be made to a joint public session of congress, to the end that while receiving the earnest and respectful attention of the proper con- 1 mittees, the various articles and the | presidents real reason for advocating | the same might, at the same time, be l considered by all members of congress, and all the people and thus true public opinion properly and fully formed, have an opportunity for making itself felt"
 Makes Statement 1 Commenting on his message, Senator 1 Fall made the following statement:
 'The presidents cable directed to be 1 handed to the members of the foreign affairs committee by Secretary Tumul- | ty says: There is good and sufficient reason for the phraseology and sub 1 stance of each article and then follows the request for no debate until after hearing him. I feel perfectly competent 1 to weigh and ascertain the meaning of these articles. The presidents argu- ments or reasons for the same might possibly influence me, but I know the practice of committee members in the past who are predetermined to do what | the president tells them he wants, has been in the senate to insinuate that | others, opposing any proposition, diG not understand and were not fully in formed, and thus make an impression while declining to give any additiona facts or information upon the plea that the presidents confidence must be re- spected.
 T favor open diplomacy and will not allow my mouth to be closed upon any phase of this great question. I was preparing to leave for Washington, ex- pecting the president to address con gress in open session. I will not at. tend the dinner"
 WASHINGTON, Feb. 20.-Senatol Fall, republican member of the senate foreign relations committee, has tele- graphed from his home in New Mexico to Secretary Tumulty, declining Presi. , White House dinner next Wednesda. , to discuss the proposed constitution o , the league of nations.
 The message was not made public At the senator's office here it wa said that he had declined because o , his absence from Washington and ''fo other reasons" These however, wer : not revealed. The senator has no been in Washington during the pres ent session of congress.
 l Senator Fall is the second membe of the senate committee to refuse t 9 attend the dinner Senator Borah O e Idaho. having made known his decisio early this week in letter to Secre a tary Tumnlty. It was said tonight tha . the other members of the senate com n mittee, as well as those of the hous s committee, would confer with tn president.
 There was no discussion of tn league of nations today in the senate but Senator Borah plans to speak to morrow in criticism of the tentativ charter and a general debate may fol low. Senator Reed of Missouri, demo
 crat, has announced that he will spea
 Saturday and at that time Senate ! Hitchcock of Nebraska, chairman ( . the foreign relations committee, ma
 reply to the league critics. -----C----