Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1919-03-01
tBy Morning Journal Special Leased wire)


Washington, Feb. 2S.--Republican
senators today returned to their as
sault on the constitution of the league
of nations as proposed to the peace
conference at Paris, with Senator
Lodge of Massachusetts,, who will be
chairman of the powerful foreign re-
lations committee in the new senate,
making him first pronouncement
since the document became public.
Criticism by the republicans did
not pass unchallenged. Chairman
Hitchcock of the foreign relations
committee, took sharp issue with the
Massachusetts senator. denouncing as
preposterous his suggestion that the
league would take from America itS
right of self-defense.
Delivering before crowded floors
and galleries an address he had pre-
pared before attending the White
House dinner conference last Wednes-
day night, Senator Lodge warned the
American people to consider well be-
fore departing from the policies or
Washington and to insist upon reVi-
sion of the league constitution. Later
in the day. Senators Lenroot of Wis
consin, and Fre'inghuysen, of New
Jersey made additional demands for
ai,3~rdr ent of the charter.
laDSpiusaats csInt.
Senate Lodge, spe king before an
1sa. 90 sy!Iieh ,irc'StIeG airloel#ic
representatives of several foreign ma
tions, deplored proposals to give pow
ers to the league which he said would
cause the Monroe doctrine to "disap-
pear" would abridge American SOW
ereignty and in the end promote mis-
understandings and war instead of
the peace which the world so much
desired.
The Massac achusetts senator assailnd
especially the provisions for territot-
ial guarantees, mandatories and dis
armament. Besides demanding re-
vision of these clauses, the senator
declared that domestic questions
such as immigration, should be dcti-
nltely placed beyond the authority of
the league. He said the entire docu
meut was loosely drawn. admitting Of
wide Interpretation, and added that
it should be redrafted to make dispute
of construction impossible.
Senator Lodge told the senate that
for Lincolns government of the pec-
pie, by the people and for the people,
the United States was now asked to
substitute on many vital points gov
ernment of, for and by other people,
and declared the nation should pause
and consider well before taking "this
fateful step"
From Washington to Trotzky.
1--WE are asked" said the senator
"to move away from George Washing
ton toward the other end of the line
at which stands the sinister figure Of
ba 81, MT Of inf
tionalism. We must build no bridges
across the chasm which now sepa-
rates American freedom and order
from Russian anarchy and destruc-
ton"
Like Senator Lodge, Senators Len
root and Frelinghuysen warned
against acceptance of the league con-
stitution without careful deliberation
and without fundamental revision.
While favoring a league that would
net conflict with American princi-
pies and sovereignty, Senator Len
root urged that as the project is an
experiment, it's life be limited to ten
years with provision for renewal if it
proves successful.
Senator Frelinghuysen disputed any
assumption that President Wilson
represented public sentiment in pro-
the league a1d demanded that the
country be fully informed on all
phases of the question before the SEN
ate is asked to consider it as part
of the peace treaty.
Debate on the league will continue
tomorrow with addresses by Senator
Knox of Pennsylvania, former secre-
tarv of state, and Senator Hardwick
of Georgia, democrat
Warns Against Haste.
Expressing complete sympathy
with efforts to arrange world peace,
Senator Lodge insisted that the agree
ment for such a concert should be
drawn up calmly and deliberately
when the world was at peace and not
hastily when war still existed
Senator Lodge urged that the ma
ton think we'll before departing from
the policies of Washington and said