The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-02-04
Overwhelming Plurality Is
Against President, Says
Senator Hale.
"NO CONFIDENCE" VOTE
Executives Ideals Are Not
Those of American PeO-
pie, He Contends.
NATION MISREPRESENTED
Didn't Enter War to Support
Theories Now Advanced at
Peace Conference.
NATION MISREPRESENTED

special Despdfch TO The SpN.
WASHINGTON. Feb. 3.-Presldent Will
sons assumption that he represents
the united views of the whole Ameri-
can people in the proposals and the
ories OF international readjustments
advanced by him at Versailles was re-
buked by Republican Senators to-day.
Throughout the prelminaries and
the earlier sessions of the Peace Con-
ference. 1t was pointed out, Mr.. Wilson
has made 1t appear that every sugges-
ton embodied in his speeches repre-
sented the concrete expression OF
American opinion. This. the Republi-
cans hold, is hardly fair in view of the
fact that scant month before the
President departed for Europe as his
own designated plenipotentiary his
party and his policies had been handed
a vote of mo confidence" by an over
whelmng majority OF the American
electorate.
The Republican total plurality in the
two years since Mr. Wilson was elected
President over Charles E. Hughes had
increased 63l,509, an S4 per cent gain.
With such an argument to back them
the Republican leaders in the Senate
feel that they are entirely within their
rights in insisting that the voice of the
Senate shall be heard and that the views
of the American voter as TO the correct
ness of Mr. Wilson's international poll
cies are entitled at least to conside ration
parallel to that accorded the personal
views of the head of the American peace
delegation.
Senator Hale (Me.) asserted to-day
that while the American people had been
permitted to understand that the occa-
sion for the United States entering the
world war was because this nation was
threatened. the developments NJ the
Peace Conference indicate that the real
purpose OF Americas participation was
to carry into effect Mr.. Wilson's alb
stract ideals of justice and right for the
world.
What the Issue Means.
"The issue comes squarely down TO the
question whether or not the people OF
this country went into the war and car
ried it through for the purposes pro
claimed nv the President" said Senator
Hale "If the President is right. then
IL, 10 ,,,Le , neace ,ba, ia IN conform
49, .,.n ,,a, h,,,o,I,aria, rrr,os.s
~ "N' -, -, 49,.
am, III ''e iu.u'e u'
actions toward the rest OF the "ofio III
the spirit Of sacrifice that these high
and extremely unselhsh purposes de-
mard
"We NAV have to surrender our
.sa;,.,, r.,,on M. NAV have
eo'e'eish'! do "at.o"
u MAINTAIN ARMIES III az pa'.' VI u.
world; we may nave 10 nhahce anu SET
upon their feet and sustain the less ior-
| turate nations Of the world. What does
1t matter?
"It ia all in the programme. and II
,hst &c ub,t wa fou.ht for ve should
Dc "ah'hs pu. po'' e''o""e as 'a
"I do NOT wish 70 decrv the work Of
A., p.o.,,o,, ., ,ha 1r,i,sd States
VIC
nave alreauy given nm eeu'. ioi "i
cerity in bis motives but / peHeVe tha
| his ideals are not the ideals OF the vas
majority OF the people of the United
| states. The American people never un
. a,s 80 oonsaauono,
/
OF the Ideals ana policies Oh ffesideh
Wilson. They were given out at time
when as commander IN chief OF the
armies OF the country II was held uni
versally TO be an objectionable sin tc
criticise the President.
"The wonderful catchwords and
phrases OF the President caught the eal
OF the people but did not catch theii
understanding That they were binding
themselves to an irrevocable policy as g
nation ! venture TO say never occurred
! to any but the Presidents closest ad
visers. That the American people are
bound by any Of these statements OF
! ideal or policy is to me inconceivable
They certainly never were bound by th'
vastly different declarations OF the Pres
ident during the weary months befor'
we went into the war.