Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1919-07-10
SENATE'S EAR
TOGROUNDIN
LEAGUE TEST
Expression Public Opin-
ion on Wilson Trip to
Decide Stand.
BY DAVID LAWRENCE.

Copyright 1919 by The Argus.)
Washington. D. c.. July 1O.-A
futter1ng flag on the top of the
White house denoted the return of
President Wilson. Fountains played
= on the lawn, birds twittered, DO
Nce guards lounged meath the big
treAS or at the iron gates. Tran
guilty, peaceful and benignant, en-
veloped the executive end OF the
avenue-a sort Of calm before the
storm.
The president summoned Joseph
p. Tumulty, private secretary, and
the latter functionary received the
correspondents and gave them the
benefit of the few decisions the
president has already been able to
make. Mr.. Wilson will not leave
here for two weeks. His itinerary
for the western trip which will ex-
tend to the Pacific coast will be
mapped out in the intervening
period. And in the next fortnight
Mr.. Wilson will be at the disposal
OF any committee of congress to ex-
plain the peace treaty, league of
nations and European situation.
Before going to the country in
other words, Mr.. Wilson will tell
senators all they wish to know. He
will give them all the background
and information which couldn't be
put into the formal language of
presidential address or peace
treaty. He will discuss matters
with senators in open or secret
session.. accordingly as the SEN
ators may desire.
President Ready to Tell All.
And the president is ready to tell
in detail just what has been hap
pening in those meetings of the big
five or big four or big three and of
the ups and downs of the peace
coRtgI ence, of the things that
sRemed to block agreement, of the
Questions upon which concession
and Cancellation were found neces-
sary and inevitable, indeed. of the
whole task of compromising the
rival wishes and desires of more
than twenty nations.
The president is confident. His
private secretary was today
bubbling up with enthusiasm. |
These receptions in New York and |
Washington were wonderful" he ,
said. To be sure. the welcome in |
the national capital was extra
ordinary, no appeal had been made |
to the people to come out to greet |
the president, no advertising cam
paign had been carried on in ad- |
vance. Even the hour of the pres |
ident's arrival was uncertain. Yet |
the crowds waited until nearly |
midnight and broke into a spon- |
taneous cheer when the president |
did come. Washington gave no /
such welcome to her own troops |
who came back from overseas.
Wilson is Inspired.
Naturally Mr.. Wilson is inspired.
Still the cheers came from the |
people. Three blocks away from
ne union station, 96 senators hold
donMSlion. The Democrats were
glad the president came back home.
They needed his leadership and
stimulus. Some of the Republicans
were glad, too-they believed Mr..
Wilson never should have gone to
Europe, but delegated the task to
somebody else Still another group
of Republican senators read MT.
smiled. To them he seemed to
have said the same things he had
expressed on many an occasion
''glittering generalities." There is a
class in the senate so much at odds
with Mr.. Wilson that anything Mr.
Wilson might say would fall on
deaf, If not Indifferent, ears. Their
votes Mr.. Wilson knows, are reach
able only through their respective
constitiuents-out in the United h
States, not in Washington.
Hold League Necessary to Peace.
Nevertheless, the president will
begin at once a series of personal
conferences with Republicans as
we'll as Democrats in an endeavor
to use every argument at his COM
mand to persuade them to get be-
hind the League of Nations. Now
that the treaty OF peace is written,
Mr.. Wilson contends that the
league is the instrument by which
the pledges therein made will be .
preserved. To ratify the treaty
an discard the league is in his
opinion tantamount to building a
house and then knocking out the
which sustain it The
two are intertwined, inseparable,
and Indispensable The opposing
senator's are familiar with the ar
gument and are preparing to meet
it by pointing out to the people Of
the United States the tremendous
and embarrass- l
ments involved in becoming A
of the league
Is Up to Public Opinion.
Predictions are not difficult to
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