The Washington times., 1919-03-18
C0URIERS ON SEA CARRY
FIGHT-0N-LEAGUE NEWS
TO PEOPLES OF EUROPE

The first of number of "couriers''
being sent to Europe by opponents OF
the league of nations to carry uncen-
sored reports Of American public
opinion on the league to the Peace
Conference is on the sea today. He
is followed by others. who will go
uncer the orders OF an Organization
recently formed to fight the league.
These couriers go ostensibly on
other missions. But they carry with
them a great mass OF data, which
they have been instructed to dis
seminate in France and England re-
garding the Senate's attitude on the
league constitution, and its probable
vote If the league compact is included
in the peace treaty.
They are to bring back or send ma
terial for the use OF orators hostile
to President Wilson's plan.
Quite independently Of these cour-
iers, Senator King OF Utah. a Demo-
crat, announced today he probably
will sail within a few days to gather
first hand whatever information -
can concerning the sentiment in
France for the league, as well as data
on the economic situation in Europe
generally. King said he goes en-
tirely on his own initiative, moved by
a desire to get facts not available on
this side of the Atlantic. He will
present some of the information he
gets to the Senate when the peace
treaty or the league covenant is be-
fore il.
POlndexteF In Criticism.
The incipient controversy in Paris
over the inclusion Of the league con-
stitution in the treaty today brought
from Senator Poindexter, of Wash
ington, a leader of the opposition the
threat that eff the constitution Of the
league is embodied in the peace
treaty, there will be no peace treaty,
because the Senate will not consent
to it."
Commenting on the dispatch from
Paris telling how American delegates
were piqued at the French announce
ment that the treaty and league
covenant will be separate. Poindexter
said:
THAT the American delegation
should be piqUed at the French is
nothing new. They have consistent
ly tended to oppose the French and to
favor the Germans, as to boundaries,
punitive indemnities, International
ization OF the kiel canal. feeding the
Germans, punishment Of the Kaiser.
The American people, however, are
for France.
''The dispatch states that the
President desires an early peace. That
may be so, but the President has been
the chief cause of the long delay in
peace. The greatest progress
toward peace was made during the
Presidents brief visit to America II
he had stayed away a week Longer
peace would have been consuunated
Immediately upon his rearrfval in
France the peace treaty is again de-
layed.
Must Have senate Support.
THE President has no power to
say what shall or shall not be in
the peace treaty except with the ad-
vice and consent of the Senate. and
IL the constitution OF the Learue oF
Nations is embodied in the pesce
treaty there will be no peace treaty
because the Senate will not consent
TO it.
THE peace treaty is to be q treat,,
between Germany and the allies. ana
as Germany is not a member OF tbe
proposed league, II is difficult to see
how that can be embodied in a
treaty with Germany.
The dispatch quotes the President
as saying that the league is vital 70
America. On the contrary, In his
speech in New York, his last public