Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1919-07-10
Question of Inviting the Pres
ident to Appear Before Com
mittee Has Not Yet Been
Decided Upon.
SOME Committeeman
OPPOSE AS IMPOLITE
If Chief Executive Does Appear
Before Committee He Will
Probably Face Rapid Fire
VoIley of Questions.
10y MORNING JOURNAL SPECIAL LEASED wrRtl

Washington, July 9.-President
Wilson will present the peace treaty
and the league of nations covenant to
the senate tomorrow:
The president will deliver a lengthy
address in which he is expected to
outline the details of the negotiations
recently concluded in Paris and tell
why he feels that the United States
should endorse the league OF nations
covenant His address promises to
mark the opening of one or the bit
terest fights ever waged in the senate
over ratification of a treaty.
1t was announced at the White
House today that the president would
place himself unreservedly at the dis
posal of the senate in its consideration
of the treaty. He was represented as
being anxious and eager to appear
before any committee of the senate
or Of the house, or both, in open or
executive session. to answer any ques-
tions that members might desire to
ask with regard to the treaty and the
league covenant.
May Question President.
While members of the senate for
eign relations committee declined to
predict whether the president would
was a general feeling that should he
make known directly a desire TO apt
pear. he would be given the oppor-
tunity. THE usual procedure would
lo for tho committee to ask for the
d. 5iUlAA.ie ssc&IcspoA1eIcg iesdilsts 90
to the treaty, and since most of the
Versailles negotiations were conducted
orally, some senators believe the all
ternate course would be to question
the principal delegates.
Opposing this view, however, is the
feeling of some committee members
that 1t would be too wide a departure
from precedent to invite a president
before any committee of congress. 1t
has been pointed out that the chief
executive constitutes in himself a CO.
ordinate branch of the government,
and as such never has dealt directly
with such a subordinate BODY as a
senate committee.
Sessions TO BE Open.
Should the president go before the
committee there are indications the
sessions will be open. Some members
are known to be determinediy opposed
to any secrecy in senate consideration
of the treaty, and in this stand they
expect the cooperation of the presi-
dent and his supporters on the COM
mittee. The effect may be to throw
into the open the entire committee
consideration of the treaty as well as
the debate in the senate chamber. 1t
is considered more than likely, how
ever, that at least some of the COME
mittee discussions will be in executive
session.
A vigorous questioning undoubtedly
will await the president should he
appear before the committee. Among
the members are some of the most
bitter critics of the league OF nations
and of the presidents conduct of the
Versailles negotiations, including
Chairman Lodge and Senator'S Borah
of Idaho, Johnson of California and
Fall of New Mexico. all republicans.
First Day Busy One.
The presidents first day at the
White House since he returned FROM
France was a long and busy one.
After sleeping late he went to his desk
soon after o'clock and remained al
most uninterruptedly at work. Bills
carrying with them appropriations of
more than $4,000 100000 were before
him, but he apparently was unable to
find time to consider them.
The president still was working in
his study late tonight and was said
TO be literally elbow deep in papers.
So busy was the president that not
a single caller was received. a num-