The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-08-06
LODGE ATTACKS
WILSON'S STAND
Senator Says President Re-
fused to Appear Before
Committee.
PAPERS ARE WITHHELD
Republican Leader Charges
Attempt to Hamper Treaty
Hearings.
PAPERS ARE WITHHELD

Special Dsspotch to THE Suy.
WASHINGTON, Aug. 6.-President Will
sons course in Withholding documen-
tary evidence and important tran
scripts of the record OF the delibera-
tions of the Peace Conference from the
Senate was publicly denounced to-day
at an open session of the Foreign Re-
lations Committee by Chairman Lodge
(Mass.), the Republican Senate leader.
The episode was one Of the most
sensational in the protracted and ex-
citing series Of political encounters
which have characterized the entire
Senate session Of the present Con-
sress and arose In the midst of the ex-
animation Of Norman Davis, one of the
economic and financial advisers of the
American delegation at Paris. Mr.
Davis said: THE President, 1 believe,
has offered to appear here" This was
turned upon the witness and the Dem
ocratic minority of the committee with
angry ardor.
He has not" the Senator declared.
That might as we'll be made plain
right now. What the President wanted
us to do was to go to the White House
to see him. He never offered to come
here to see us, and our position, of
course. is that Congress possesses no
power or authority to summon the
President to appear before 1t or before
one Of its committees.
I'VE have requested the President to
send us highly important papers and
documents bearing on the peace treaty,
and so far he has not sent US a single
one of them. The only document the
President could be credited with having
furnished us, aside from the treaty OF
Versailles itself, was the Franco Ameri-
can pact, and we virtually forced him to
send that.
Declines to Send Papers.
I'VE have asked the President to fur
nish US with the original American plan
for the league OF nations, which was set
aside at Versailles for the British one !;
we have asked the President for the
written protest against Shantung, which
we understand three of the American
Peace Commissioners signed: we have
asked him for other important papers (;
SO far we have received none of them +;
We have been refused some of them. II
we are to pursue our consideration of
should have them now.
Instead of the President offering to
appear before the committee we were
informed by Senator Hitchcock that he
had been told in telephone conserva-
ton with the President that he did not
desire to appear before the committee,
but would like the committee to go to the
White House to confer with him. II Is
not OF so much Importance that we
should consult with the President as that
we should receive the documents and pa
pers we have requested. II we receive
them there probably will be no reason
for US to see the President"
In the course Of his testimany Mr..
Davis INDUCED in a few words of praise
OF the League OF Nations covenant.
Davis Praises Covenant.
From all the information that
could gather I am decidedly OF the opin-
ion that the great majority OF the peo-
ple, the masses of Europe, favor it," he
volunteered. You include, of course
Germany and Russia" interposed Chair
man Lodge.
'T do" replied the financial expert,
and then, reconsidering his words, add
cd: well, 1t was rather difficult to get
information regarding Russia"
Senator Brandegee and later Senator
Fall IN. NJ interrogated the witness
with regard TO his sources OF informa-
ton.
johnson Sees Joke.
isn't It a fact" put in Senator
johnson, "that the League OF Nations
covenant was received with laughter in
the British parliament"
'1 do not know that" replied Mr..
Davis.
Senator johnson said that he was
quoting from press dispatches.
This would Indicate" he said. that
the British regard the League OF Ma
tions as a joke"
1T is strange" put in Senator
Hitchcock (Neb.), that tho Senator
should describe the League OF Nations
as a British pact In one breath and de-
clare that the British regard 1t az a
joke In the next"
Perhaps" suggested Senator Knox
(Penn-). ''ths British can regard the
league a. q good Joke on themselves."
Mr.. Davis spoke OF the desirable fea-
lures Of the League Of Nations as he
viewed the covenant, and said the
Shantung settlement for example,
could be settled very satisfactorily
through the league"
"If we kept out OF the league" asked
Senator Brandegee (Conn.), wouldn't
Europe get along somehow as she al
ways has done? Hasn't she been able
to take care OF her wars without our
being dragged into entangling al
liances?"
That was hardly the situation in
1911" suggested Senator Hitchcock.
"Just because you save a drowning
man Is no reason why you should carry
him through life." said Senator Bran
degee.
"But you do not have to shoot him
after you save him from drowning" Mr..
Davis put In.