New-York tribune., 1919-03-17
Presidents Failure to At
tend the War Council
Meeting Causes Anxiety
Ignored Big Ten"
In Making Denial
Belief Prevails He Seeks
to Regain Prestige Lost
by the Senate Attack
By Frederick Moore
Nciu York Tribune
.Special Cable .Scyr;ce

Ncp York Tribune
Special Cable Scrrice
copyright. 1919. New York Tribune Inca
fARlS, March l6-Narious cxnlapa-
tons and surmises are offered regard.
ing President Wilson's failure to an
pear at the Supreme War Council
meeting specially arranged for his
presence yesterday. As the other
American delegates, including Secre-
tary Lansing and Colonel House. who
have been acting as the American
members of the Council of Ten during
the Presidents absence, are without
plenary powers and agree to decisions
only subject to Mr.. Wilson's approval.
1T was essential and understood that
the President be present.
President Wilson had been in Paris
but twenty-four hours before he be-
gan to demonstrate again his power
and methods. On discovering that tho
Council of Ten, needing the Senate's
objection to the league covenant, had
planned the draft of the preliminary
peace treaty without a single leapue
feature in it, Mr.. Wilson, without con
suitlng his colleagues on the Council
OF Ten, and, it is said, even without
informing them, issued denial of the
statements recently cabled by the
Paris correspondents, stating "there is
no basis whatever for the reports that
change in the decision was con-
templated."
oHlelai spokesmen of the various
delegations. until Friday evening. were
nfol ming the correspondents that the
preliminary treaty would not include
the league features
1t IS commonly said to day that peace
has been again DELAYED. if not actually
endangered. Hour by hour the gravity
Of the situation grows upon well in
formed observers
French Predict Delays
Not only is it certain that the league
OF nations will be written into the
peace treaty, as President Wilson de-
clared yesterday, but every one in
official circles here is now convinced
that the President is determined to
secure the fullest possible interming-
ling of the league with the peace pre-
iminaries.
A tendency generally is evident to
ascrlbe this to Mr.. Wilson's perception
that an immediate transfer of the
league into the sphere of actual vital
lty will be necessary to offset Senate
opposition. That this must cause de-
lays and may be impossible is everv-
where urged by the French, and there
is much anxiety.
The American Explanation
What might be called the Official
American explanation of the presi-
dents failure to attend the meetino of
the Supreme Council yesterday is that
the secretary of the council failed n
deliver the arnlistice terms 10 the Ris-
hoHhelm Mansion for the Presidents
examination until few hours befo,s
the session, and then only in French
But the document, having boan
NPoii al lHe usual manner
went through the printing press both
IN English and French. and the Presi-
dents receipt of only the French conv
# this version is correct, is supposedly
due TO a clerical or messengers err
ror.
Inc belief prevails in very high
quarters that President WiJso, .:
ing that his prestige among the dele.
gates IS impaired by the Senate's a.
utude and seeking to reestablish hi
personal power of veto over the con-
ference's decisions, took two spectacu-
lar measures yesterday to demonstrate
to the other delegates that he still il
power to be rcckoned with.
First, without informing the otbe,
delegates. he announced that the
league would, Notwithstanding CON
trary announcements during his oh.
sence' be incorporated in the peaca
treaty.
secondly, he permitted fifty states
men, including the most important in
ehe world, to foregather to receive his
sanction to the vital matter of renew
ing the armistice-upon which they
had been laboring with Colonel
Houses and Mr.. Lansing,s approval
for many weeks-and then failed to
appear.