The sun., 1919-09-30
SENATORS ASK IF
US. WARS ON ITALY


all members OF the League Of Nations
was made In the Senate to-day. Such
an action, unauthorized by the United
states Government. but done at the be-
hest OF the supercouncil acting AhrouRh
the British Admiralty. was cited as an
example Of what may be expected under
the operation OF Article X. Of the cove
rant proposed by President Wilson as
the superior law of the world.
Two resolutions dealing with the SIT
uation created through this American
incursion into the Affairs OF the Dalma-
tian coast were introduced In the Senate
to-day. Senator New (Ind.) furnished
one which called on the State Depart
ment for an exact statement of the
actual facts Of the landing at Trau.
Senator Sherman (IlL) introduced the
other, which declares It to be the sense
OF the Senate that the landing of an
American force was unwarranted and
forbidding repetition of the episode.
The explanation offered from Paris in
attempting to Justify the use OF Amer
lean sailors by foreigners only makes
the case decidedly worse In the opinion
or senators IT shows that the British
Admiralty, which has had charge of
naval operations in European waters
just as Marshal Foch has had charge OF
all military operations, assigned thi,
American squadron to patrol an area
where trouble was almost certain tc
ensue. To the Americans was given the
task OF wagtng naval warfare IL neces-
sary In the zone near Fiume. The
quiet naval sectors where no trouble
whatever was expected were placed ir
the care Of the French or Italian navaI
| forces.
Senators contend that II the British
Admiralty has the right to assign Amer
lean naval vessels to maintain order In
Europe without the consent or knowl.
! edge OF the American Navy Department
| there Is nothing to prevent American
! naval squadrons from being employed
by Britain to patrol waters OF the Irish
coast and maintain order by force o.
| arms II necessary in case Of disturb
| ances precipitated by the Irish agains
British rule.
In case like this is would admit
| teddy be of great advantage TO Eng
land to have the United States assum'
the full burden because the antagonist
of the Irish would under such circum
stances be directed against America
| whereas all practical results Of militar!
force would be to the advantage o
\ England.
In the senate debate to-day. Senate
Sherman stated that the sending o
American forces into Dalnatia exceeded
any Of the war powers granted Presi
dent Wilson by Congress. 1T is actiol
under the League Of Nations" sal
Senator Sherman.
To this assertion Senator Hitchcoc
(Neb.). spokesman for the President
insisted that the action was who'll
within the Executives war powers,
statement which wrung from sewers
quarters Of the Republican side an In
CURRY whether the United States was q
war with Italy.
i Senator Knox (Pa) opened the debat
by reading from morning newspaper
that Secretary of the Navy Daniels ad
mitted that he had no knowledge of a
intention to land an American force a
Trau until he was made acquainted wit
the accomplished fact through officis
advices One of the articles read b
Senator Knox recited that Secretar
Daniels had even refused TO credit I'll
press dispatches announcing the Ira
landing. Senator Knox. commenting O
this lack Of knowledge on the part {
the Secretary. said:
II can appreciate the doubt in tn
mind OF Secretary Daniels when ths
startling report first came to our shore
can appreciate how the head OF II
! American Navy would feel when IL wa
publicly charged that marines, excll
sively under the control OF his depar
ment, had been landed upon foreign so
for the purpose of carrying out Il
wishes and desires of any nation, / ca
understand how a further doubt migi
have disturbed his mind. and that
whether or not this was only the fir
number of a programme to which IF
Quently we may be committed in u
way OF military and naval activities
Europe"