Omaha daily bee., 1919-02-27
LEAGUE DRAFT
IS DEFENDED BY
THE PRESIDENT

against whom a decision was rem
dered had property, including terri
tory. in its possession, which it
would not surrender.
Would Impair Sovereignty,
In conceding that some sover-
eighty must be surrendered by men,
bership in the league, the president
declared il was uncomfortable that
there could be any concert OF
action by nations to eliminate war
and protect the weak unless each
nation was willing to give up some
thing.
Denying that the league meant
usurpation OF the powers OF con-
gress to declare war, the president
said the league merely was prom
Use by the treaty-making power that
its congress would do all in its
power to carry out the agreement, a
situation which prevails in many
present treaties.
The president was said to have
stated that it was necessary that the
United States stand to the support Of
the Czecho-S lovaks, the Jugo Slavs,
Poland and other weak and strug-
Cling peoples made free as the re-
suit of the great war.
Senator Lodge refused to see
newspaper men or make any state
ment of the conference.
The strength of the league would
rest on the friendship Of America,
Great Britain, France, Italy and
Japan, the president said, and he
expressed the opinion that serious
trouble between these five nations
was "unthinkable." Should one OF
these Withdraw from the league or
in any way fail to support it, inn
petence of the league might result,
immigration Not Involved.
The DEGREES of the league would
depend upon the moral force of the
world, the president explained, He
expressed the opinion that if Ger
many had considered a week, or ii
she had known England would en-
ter the war, the great conflict
would not have occurred.
In the discussion of the conf
position of the league and executive
council the Mexican and Japanese
problems with which the United
States is concerned were reported
to have been freely used as illus
trations. In this connection it was
said that the president rejected the
argument that American immigra-
ton would be a question determin-
able by the league.
Who Will Have Votes?
Questions regarding Great Brit
aims FIVE votes in the league and
the possibility of the British enl-
pire acquiring more than one vote
in the executive council elected the
statement from the president that
such possibility was very remote
as the four votes in the league out
side of the FIVE great powers were
demanded by the smaller nations
and that election would be made
by the 40 or so nations comprising
the league. ..-
According to one of the demo-
Gratis, Senator Brandegee said to
the president:
MIR. President this league of ma
tons will not prevent war"
9'It will not" said the president,
nothing will prevent war, but il
will bring about discussion before
the beginning of war. If there had
been one weeks discussion before
the beginning of the European war
it would not have occurred"
Ireland to Have No Vote.
One senator pressed inquiries re-
lating to the Irish question and the
president was said to have answered
that ireland would have no vote Ill
the league "at present" and that the
Irish question was one for later
solution between Ireland and Eng
land. ..re..
Three Members Absent.
Senators Borah Of Idaho, and Fal
of New Mexico, republicans; Repre-
sentative Dorsey w. Shackleford OIL
Missouri, democrat, were the only
committee members absent from the
White House dinner tonight. The
two senators declined because they
/ said they could not follow tradition
and consider themselves bound tC
/ silence as to what the presiden
might tell them and because they
4 Thought he should take the whole
1 congress into his confidence.
Members of the two committee
present were:
Senators Gilbert NJ. Hitchcock
Nebraska; John Sharp Williams
/ Mississippi; Claude A. Swanson
Virginia; Atlee Pomerene, Ohio
| Marcus "A. Smith, Arizona; Willard
Salisbury, Delaware; Key Pittman
| Nevada; John X. Shields, Tennes
see; Charles S. Thomas, Colorado
and Joseph 7. Robinson, Arkansas
! democrats; Henry Cabot Lodge
4 Massachusetts,; William Alder
Smith, Michigan; Porter ]. Nc
| Cumber, North Dakota; Frank B
| Brandegee, Connecticut, and Phil
ander c. Knox, Pennsylvania, re
publicans.
Representatives Henry D.. Flood
1 Virginia: ]. Charles Linthicumb
| Maryland; William S. Goodwin
! Arkansas; Charles NJ. Stedmar
| North Carolina; Pat Harrison
Mississippi; Charles B. Smith, Ney
II