New-York tribune., 1919-02-18
Wilson Thinks
Institution
No League Bar
Protest Against Debate in
Senate Pending Arrival Is
Likely To Be Ignored
By Carter ield
No'o York Tribune
W1shfrOtOr Rureo,l


WASHINGTON, Feb. 17-President
Wilson does not believe an amendment
TO the Constitution is necessary to per-
nit the United States to ioin the league
OF nations, unless he has changed his
mind radically on this question. He
has said the President and the Senate
can commit the country to compulsory
arbitration and even to the policy of
an international army to enforce the
DEGREES of an international tribunal.
thereby displaying a sharp difference
in opinion with several very eminent
lawyers in the Senate
This fact became known mere to-
night at the same time that it became
evident that Mr. Wilson's request that
there be no debate on the league Of
nations plan in Congress before he
had explained the document to the
Foreign Affairs and Relations Com
mittees would not be strictly observed.
Senator Poindexter gave notice of
his intention to speak Wednesday and
it was taken for granted that a dis
cussion of the league plan would take
place in the Senate.
Wilson Letter Is Cited
In view of the attacks on the pro
posal for the United States to join the
league of nations as unconstitutional
and the contention by many Senators
that such surrender of the warmak
ing power by Congress, as is implied
IN joining such a league, would neces-
state an amendment to the Constitu-
ton, the following letter, written by
President Wilson to Senator John F.
Shafroth, of Colorado, on January 3.
1917, and made public for the first time
to-day, when Mr.. Shafroth gave me the
letter, is of great interest.
. "NIy Dear Senator:
Personally, | do not doubt our
power to join in any arrangement
with regard to the maintenance of
the peace of the world in which the
President and the Senate NAV unite.
but | realize the interest and i'm
portance of resolutions such as YOU
have introduced and am very glad
indeed that the matter is TO be thor
oughly canvassed. Nv own feeling is
that the power of dealing with for
eign affairs is given in as complete
terms as necessary in the Constitu-
ton, and | think the more the ques-
tion is discussed the more clear that
will become.
CORDIALLY and sincerely yours.
"(Signed) WOODROW WILSON"
Amendment Evoked Letter
The letter was in reply 70 letter
from Senator Shafroth asking an in
dorsement of an amendment to the Con-
stitution which Mr.. Shafroth had pro-
posed. To be fully appreciated in it's
important bearing on the present dis
cussion as to whether the United States
could join the league as proposed at
Paris without an amendment to the
Constitution, the letter must be con-
sidered in connection with the Shafroth
amendment.
The section which Mr. Shafroth at
that time wished to add to the legisla-
tion is as follows:
The President is authorized to
negotiate and, after ratification by
both houses Of Congress, to sign
treaty or treaties with all or a
part of the other sovereign nations
of the world, engaging the United
States to submit for final determina-
tion all international disputes threat
ening war to an international tri-
bunal or tribunals and also engag-
ing the United States to assist in
supplying funds for the support of
SAID tribunal or tribunals and OF
Continued on page three
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