The Washington herald., 1919-06-08
SENATE REQUEST.
aEOR PACT COPIES
TO WILSON
Refusal Of President to Com
ply Expected to Bring
Renewal Of Debate.
JOHNSON LEADS FIGHT
Unofficial Copies Of Treaty,
av Sent by Germans, May
! Cause Complications.

The Senate resolution asking for the
1-f1fl text OF the peace treaty with Ger
q many was cabled to President Wilson
sain Paris by Acting Secretary Polk, OF
,rthe State Department yesterday. A
- reply is looked for by the time the
Senate reconvenes tomorrow noon.
G. In transmitting the resolution to
the President, Mr. Polk made no COM
~ nent of his own as to the propriety
1aor- improperly OF complying with the
~ Senate's request Only the formal
text Of the resolution was Incorporated
IN the message
Although the resolution specifically
named the State Department as the
agency from whom the treaty was re-
uuested. Mr. Polk indicated his un-
:. willingness to act in the matter with
: out putting the question up to the
= President
Refusal to Bring Fight.
There is considerable speculation
among the Senators as to what will
be the result Of a refusal on the part
'7lof the State Department to send the
y treaty to the Senate in compliance
: with the resolution. The cable news
: from Paris yesterday Is that the
American Peace Commission Is op-
posed to giving publicity to the treaty
until the Germans have signed it or
definitely refused to accept IL. For
this reason Il is believed here that
,-the President will decline to release
the treaty to the Senate at this time
and will instruct Mr.. Polk to notify
the Senate to this effect.
II this should be done there is no
question that the refusal to give UP
the treaty will bring about a renewal
10
in the Senate before the resolution
wa4 acted upon. Senator johnson of
California, author of the resolution,
has stated that IL the treaty is not
Forthcoming he will have something
more to say about the admlnistra-
tion's policy in keeping the terms OF
the treaty from the American people"
Johnson May Open Up.
A speech by Senator Johnson at
tacking the administration may come
in the Senate tomorrow II by that
time 1t Is known that the President
will not permit the State Department
to obey the mandate OF the resolution.
Other Senators are preparing to fol-
low suit inasmuch as II Is generally
believed that the Senate will not get
the treaty despite the resolution.
The question as to what will be
done il copies Of the treaty sent by
! Germany come in the Senator's mail
Is also perplexing some OF the men,
bers. II 1t is true. as reported. that
-s-copy has been mailed to every Sena-
tor and Representative, what will they
do with them when they get them?
az-aae Senator remarked today that
Hif-ths Germans send him a copy be-
sfore President Wilson Is willing to
let the Senate have il of,cially, he
would offer it for presentation in the
ESenate record and ask to have II read
kAnother suggested that he would
Estudy II with a view to ascertaining
rhow closely the French text has been
etranslated into the German.
q, Prosecution Possible.
Z ire suggestion has been made
Ethat the acceptance OF mail sent by
The Germans might possibly render
sthe Senators liable to prosecution
Ander the Trading-with-t the Enemy
saet. Just how far they might go in
1na king use of mail received from
fsech sources is n problem which Ia
Worrying item considerably.
q senator Lodge has announced that
9ht will have nothing to DO with any
tspy except the oficial draft which
-fhe President in his own time
ftnooseS 10 lay Defore the senate.
THE Foreign Relations Committee
Will hold a meeting tomorrow morn
3nS to determine upon the procedure
10 be followed in the investigation
pf the Wall street leak" which the
pStnate has ordered. II IS understood
shat the investigation will be turned
over to a subcommittee of which
neither Senator Lodge nor Senator
EBorah will be members. Senator
Bfandegee. OF Connecticut, probably
FSlll be chairman Of the subcommit-
tee which will consist of three Re-
publicans and two Democrats