The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1919-05-09

tefttin SENATORS openly attack the
Paris Peace covenant Several sen
ators covertly attack the president
for alleged secrecy and for alleged
exclusion OF their function to ad.
wise him during the negotiation.
This covert criticism Is so political
and partisan. so unfounded In law
and unjust. In fact. that IL ought not
to be passed over IN silence.
I subject II to tho test Of a late
high republican authority-senator
Spooner.
And on the contrary assert that
rs to the salient features OF the pro
posed League of Nations and OF the
general peac, treaty. no president In
similar matters over took congress
and the people 80 completely into
his confidence as has President WI.
son
President Rooseveit's aggressive
action. without consulting tho sen.
ate, towards Panama. Santo DO
mingo and the Moroccan conference
and other foreign relations aroused
opposition from certain democratic
senators. During the debate on this
subject In 1909. Senator spooner Of
Wisconsin defended tho personal
diplomacy" OF President Roosevelt
aud laid down the law and practice
In foreign relations.
II will be recalled that several re.
publican senators. now critics OF
President Wilson. were In the senate
AT that time and joyfuliy associated
themselves with the views OF Sen.
ator Spooner. Now their views are
changed. Then 1, was a republican
administration. Now IL Il demo.
cratic administration. ~ seems then
that the opinion OF distinguished son.
ators upon constitutional questions
changes with the administration.
That. OF course. IL not unnatural.
even II illogical and unstable. for Il
Ii commonly said. "circumsta noes
alter cases." and no doubt much de.
Ponds on whose OK Ia gored."
"B~~t Behind Closed Doors"
Senator Spooner deprecated the
public discussion by the senators OF
presidential action In pending for.
eign affairs. IL. ehidcd them for
talking "out Of meeting" Said he
Fifteen years Of servie. her. has
fully confirmed In me the impres
sion. early formed after my advent
In this body. that the consideration
OF treaties and all questions involt'
ing our foreign relations arc best.
save in very exceptional cases. con.
Quoted behind closed doors. am
clearly OF the conviction. havin. re-
gard to the peculiar relations Great.
Ell By the constitution between the
senate and the executive in rcspcc,
20 the exercise Of I'll. treaty.fnaking
power. that II IL not healthy prece.
den; 20 establish. or one much to be
followed. that Involve. public Discus
sson OF current foreign relations. in
Guiding treaties.
From the foundation OF the gov.
eminent. Il has been conceded In
practice and In theory that tho con.
stitutIon vests tho power Of n~rosin.
ton and the various phases-and
they are nuisifsrtous--of tho con.
duct OF our foreign relations ex-
eiusiv-iy I'm the president. And h.
does no, cxercise that constitutional
power. nor can he be made 10 do a.
under the suteiax- or guardianship
Of the senate or % tho house or OF
the senate and house combined.
The senate has no right 20 de-
mand that ho shall unfold 20 the
world or 10 Il. even IN executive sos.
sion. his instructions or the pros
pcct or progress Of the negotiation.
I said right" use that word ad.
viscdiy In order TO illustrate wha;
all men who have studied the sub
ject are willing 70 conccde--tha, IN