New-York tribune., 1919-08-09
Belief in Congress He Would
Surrender Utterly to the
Railroad Men Is Refuted
in Wording of Message
Comment ON Party Lines
Federal License Suggestion
Will Be Approved, but
Wheat Plan Is Opposed
NetU Yori5 G'ribun

tHaI LuIS was lo tliuc 1OI tlIcdtS.
Up until that time he had been ad-
dressing an audience, both On the
floor and in the galleries, which
the most frantic rebel cheer leading
by "Tom" MeAin could not inspire. The
galleries and the Republicans sat silent
until that reference.
Congress had confidently believed
that President Wilson would surrender
utterly to the railroad men, as in the
case Of the Adamson Act Tonight
the members construe Mr.. Wilson'S
words to mean that the case of the
railway men will be considered as
though there were no danger Of the
country's business being tied uD by
q strike.
Comment afterward, in both House
and Senate, showed moro general ap-
proval of what they construe to be a
firm stand by the President. Some
frankly, expressed surprise that he
should have had the courage to say it..
The Presidents urgent plea for i'm
mediate peace divided the criticism into
strict party lines. This move had
been expected by both sides, however
it had been thought the President
would do everything possible to pre-
vent the cost of living agitation from
completely engulfng his fight to put
the league of nations through the Sen
ate without reservations.
License Plan Is Favored
From comment tonight there seemed
to be little opposition to the recon-
mendaton that there should be cd
eral licenses for concerns doing an
interstate business. Many Senator'S
insisted that the packers should oe
licensed without delay.
The Presidents proposals about
wheat, however, aroused considerable
opposition. Senator'S from the wheat
growing states, notably Senator Gron-
ma, chairman of the Committee on
Agriculture, declared the President had
obtained all the power from that COM
mittee he was going to get. Senator
Norris wants to repeal the prce-hxing
provision of the existing law and let
the farmers get a still higher price
for their product.
Following are some Of the comments
made by Senators and members Of the
House:
Some Practical Suggestions
Following are some Of the comments:
Senator Lodge: an regard to the
artificial and extortonate prices for
the necessaries of life, I think the
President made some very good and
practical suggestions, and | am sure
that Congress will deal with them at
once.
1.-The purpose Of introducing the qucs-
ton of the treaty was obvious We are
at peace with Germany. as matter OF
fact. We are trading with Germany. as
matter of fact. 1t is highly desirable
that the treaty of peace with Germany
should be ratified as soon as possible,
and that is the desire Of the Senate,
without regard to party.
The wrong done TO China in the.
case Of Shantung is all that would
delay the treaty if the league of ma
tions had not been fastened on it. It
took the President seven months to
make the treaty. 1t has been in posses
sion of the Senate barely one month.
and the Scnatc's responsibility and
power are equal to those of the Prcs-
dent. No other nation has vet rati.
fed it except Great Britain belgium
ratified to-day), and it is Perhaps not
surprising that she ratified it quickly.
1t has not yet been acted on by the
French Chamber and has not been
taken up at all in the French Senate.
and with the exception Of Chile | have
heard OF no other country which has
yet acted upon it.
Every Effort Made
"The Foreign Relations Committee
has made every effort to expedite the
consideration Of the treaty, which oc
cupied 268 qarto pages.
"lhere is no desire on the part Of
either the committee or the Senate for
the slightest delay and no suggestion
has been made in the Senate that there
has been any delay. No undue delay
has been intended in the Senate by any
one and none is intended now Some
time has also been taken up dealing
with the Colombian treaty at the spe-
cial request of the Administrations.
Senator Poindexter-'The President
is mistaken in his statement that the
Lever act covers only foodstu:fs. See
ton 26 of the act covers also fuel
and all 'necessaries OF life | wrote
this section, and it was added to the
bill in the Senate. 1t has been on the
statute books since August 10, 1917.
The President clearly points out that
this law and others on the statute
books have been gravely violated, and
IS correct IN saying that public action'
viii cause many of it's violators to
promptly and Of their own notion
abandon their unlawful practices. lie
IS also entirely correct in saying that
G.'N * iS-l ILIShl tl commerce ana the
tede1al Trade Commission can do
great deal. The trouble is that action
has been so long delayed.
His Statement "Convicts Him"
"Ioe Presidents statement convicts
n'a administration, to use his owp
words, Of sitting inactively BY and
letting them (tho unlawful conditions
nc has described) work their own fats;
results. The President for too lone
period ahsented himself fror, IA
country ard has too long conGned HIM
sett exclusively to participation in the
p'Etar antagonisms and quarrels of
ltaly, Bulgaria. etc, with tho result
tHar many bitter hostilities Of orr fnr-
mer friends have been created against
the United States.
Though. very tardy. theso steps Of
the Administration probably will al
ford some degree OF relief to p sjtua-
tion which the Administration itself
has largely aggravated by its own
acts"
Senator Brandegec: "The President
has taken an unfair advantage of the
high cost Of living issue and is en-
deavoring to use it to force through
the league Of nations. II ne means TO
say that we will not have freedom from
disturbances due to the cost of living
until We get peace with the league Of
nations, that is not true. I approve
heartily his statement that this Is no
time for threats but I am surrr;sad