Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1919-02-21
AN EXTRA SESSION LIKELY

1t is learned that President Wilson will be urged to
call an extra session of congress Immediately upon his re-
turn to the United, States, and that the demand to that
effect will be made by his Democratic advisers in both
the senate and the house on the ground that they will be
unable to complete present legislative plans before some
time later in the spring. Many Republicans are said to
share this view, but for the particular reason that they
feel ample opportunity should be given to discuss all the
phases of the proposed league of nations pact thoroughly
and exclusively.
In the absence Of concrete information it is supposed
that the president expects the league of nations discussion
finished SO that he can again set sail for France about
March 5. In other words, he will try to have opinion so
completely crystallized that he will be in a position to per-
sonally report to the Paris congress what the attitude Of
his countrymen is toward the epoch-making design.
There is a rather general feeling that it will be prac-
tically impossible to accomplish any such thing in the
course of a week or so. The president will not be in
Washington until Monday, February "a, at the earliest.
and as the present session of the congress expires March
4, it will be seen that there will be actually but six days
for the desired discussion by the people and by the law
makers of the nation. The importance of the subject sug-
gests, some congressman feel, a far more complete exami.
nation of the project than can be- undertaken before
March 4.
Judging from reports coming from Washington, there
is a promise of much bitter disagreement on the question
of a league of nations, from the American point of view.
and while a number Of members of both houses ara said
to be enthusiastically in favor Of endorsing the program
in its entirety, there is a considerable opposition which
insists on it's rights to point out the weaknesses and the
shortcomings of the plan-and quite a few who think tho
plan should be rejected because, as they see it, it NAV in
volve the question of American SOVEREIGNTY and NAV lead
to the virtual abolition Of all the traditions which have
hitherto guided the United States in dealings with foreign
powers.
One view that prevails among not a few congressman
is that the league of nations issue should be secondary.
and that the actual communication of a peace treaty with
Germany should be primary. 1t is held by these men that
no good can come Of an international league such as the
enc proposed If it h not based on a condition of peace
actually existing, and it is also feared that too much val
liable time is lost in studying problems which are. in a
large sense, inferior to that Of ending the state of war still
officially obtaining; the reconstruction program in this
country as we'll as in other belligerent nations is delayed,
these men claim, and for this reason they feel that the
president should be urged to first Of all lend his Influence
to the real business Of the Paris gathering-namely. to
conclude peace. That done, the league Of nations problem
will meanwhile have been studied and perhaps understood
in its full significance, and the American congress will be
ready to determine what its final attitude is to. be.