The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1919-01-03
Senator Lewis of Illinois Says
Leaders Are Trying to Dis
credit President Abroad
PRESIDENT ACTS
AS CHIEF OF ARMY
Charges Republicans Want to
See League ofNatiOns Idea
Fail for Political Reasons

Washington, Jan. 2.-Senator Lewis
of Illinois, speaking today in the SEN
ate. charged republican leaders with
conspiring for political purposes to
discredit President Wilson abroad. to
thwart his purposes by giving Eu-
ropean negotiators the impression the
senate opposes his plans and by de-
ceiving the Aemrican public. Their
object, he declared. is to prevent the
president from accomplishing any
thing
The speech was in reply to recent
utterances of Senators Lodge and
Knox, both republicans. criticizing
certain of the presidents IA principles
Of peace and urging consideration Of
league of nations. freedom of the seas
and other questions be deferred until
after the peace con- ence.
"The concurring assaults by certain
leaders Of the republican side upon
everything that President Wilson has
attempted in Europe" said Senator
Lewis, ''discloses, as I charge, a con-
spiracy to discredit him and to defeat
any design he enters upon by giving
the European negotiators to under
stand that the senate is opposed to
the president; that It objects to his
measures and that it is speaking with
the power to revise. reverse and re-,
pudiate him"
Senate Can Do Nothing.
Senator Lewis declared the senate
had nothing whatever to do with what
the president is now doing, "in pre-
senting the protocol for peace and the
of the disposition of the
armies.
and the world" he said, that there
is no law of America, by constitur16n,
statue or custom by which the presi-
dent is under any obligation to SUBJ
NIT what he is now doing to the sem
ate or to any other branch of the leg
slative or executive body.
Il inform the negotiators, as I do all
those interested, that the present un-
1ertakings of the president of the
United States are as commander-in-
chief of the armies. That he remains
such with full power as commander-in-
chief until the full treaty or compact
Of peace has been finally accepted
and peace declared and the armies
as a result of that accept
ance."
Wilson Acts as Army Chief.
Drawing distinction between
head of the civil government and af-
.er the war has ended and the making
If peace by protocol or agreement, the
senator said under the latter condt- |
ion the president serves as COM
chief. agreeing upon terms
IF peace for the purpose of Withdraw !
ng the armies, and in doing SO !
executes the authority Of the law and |
If the people vested in him as texecu-
i've and wholly apart from the in
erference, the opposition, the ap- |
,roval, or reputation of the senate"
Senators Lodge and Knox were
charged with being inconsistent in |
heir views. The Illinois senator said |
of the proposals for |
eague of nations and freedom of the |
seas would mean the war had been |
ought in vain and would bring a |
'epetition of the struggle.
Each nation with claims and prin- |
.iples at stake, as it believes Them"
le continued, seeing no method ex- |
sting through which it can secure |
peace and obtain it's right. will turn |
o the only method left and which has |
ust been adopted-war.
I'm justice to the distinguished SEN |
ltors they do not mean that America !
should enter upon such cowardly |
(Continued on Page Three.)