The Knoxville independent. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1894-current, 1919-03-15
President Departs for France
Without Senate's Approval
of Nations League.
CHANGES MAY Be NECESSARY
Filbuster in Senate Kills Urgent Bills
and Early Extra Session Is Pre-
dicted-Proeress of the Peace
Conference Delegates
in Paris.
Bv EDWARD w. PIcKARD.

When President Wilson sailed away
on his return trip to France last Wed
nesday there must have been some
bitterness in his soul. For a very
considerable part of the senate had re-
fused to accept his dictates concern
ing the constitution of the league of
nations and congress had adjourned
under circumstances that seem to
make necessary the early calling Of an
extra session despite the presidents
fiat declaration that he would not sum-
mon the new congress until his return
from Paris.
Mr. Wilson, in his speech in New
York, asserted that the great majority
of the American people favor league
Of nations, and there is no doubt of
the truth of the assertion. 1t is IA
vored, too by a great majority of the
senators, but many of them, and pre-
sumably many private citizens, do not
favor the constitution Of the league
as it now stands. The president has
told us that it is practically impossible
now to amend the drafted constitution,
but that he is mistaken in this is the
opinion of the opposing senator's, and.
according to recent dispatches from
Paris, some of the delegates to the
peace conference agree with them.
After 80 Republican hold-over senators
oil ho1 OH nd wound
robin declaring that the league con
stitution should be altered and that
it should not be considered further
until the peace treaty had been rati-
fed, it was plain to the ADMINISTERS
ton leaders, if not to the president,
that some compromise was necessary.
Therefore, possibly with the AUTHORIZE
ton of Mr.. Wilson, Senator Hitchcock
asked Senator Knox to draft the
amendments which he and other Re-
publican senators desire At this writ
ing the results of this step are not
known, but it seemed likely that, If the
president should concede some of the
changes asked, the senators would CON
sent to making the league an integral
part of the peace treaty. On this lat
ter point the president takes deter
mined stand, telling his New York
audience that when the treaty comes
back for ratification 1--WE will find the
covenant not only In it, but 80 many
threads of the treaty tied to the cove
nant that you cannot dissect the cove
nant from the treaty without destroy
ing the whole vital structure"
That majority of the American
people are in favor Of the league con
stitution as it now stands is doubted
by Senators Borah, Lodge, Knox and
others of its opponents. They say they
are receiving numerous letters daily
that protest against 1t, and are willing
that it should be submitted to nation
wide referendum. Though the ques-
ton seems to be drifting into the field
Of partisan politics, it must be said
that number of Democratic senator's
are as much against the present league
plan Is are the Republicans who signed
the round robin, while some Republi-
cans are heartily supporting the presi-
dent. In the next senate there will be
at least 81 votes against the league
plan, and 80 will be enough to prevent
its ratification.