The daily banner., 1919-07-28
COMMITTEE WON'T
CALL PRESIDENT
OFFER TO EXPLAIN COVENANT
OF NATIONS WILL NOT
BE ACCEPTED. -
PRECEDENT STANDS IN WAY
Chairman Lodge Of the Committee on
Foreign Relations Invokes Prece-
dent Of 100 Years Aeo-senate to
Take Time to Consider.
BY EDWARD D. CLARK.

WaSnlngron.-A somewhat eXLrdOr.
dinary situation has developed in
what may be called the relationship
Of the executive branch to the legis-
lative branch of government. Presi-
dent Wilson has offered to 60 before
the senate committee on fereign re-
latiOns to explain the covenant Of the
League Of Nations. Senator Lodge,
chairman of the committee, speaking
for the majority thereof, said that the
president will not be called to appear
in the committee room.
The committee chairman has said
that there is a precedent, and presi-
dental precedent at that, which
stands in the way Of the presidents
appearance in the committee room.
President Wilson says that he is will
ing to waive all precedents, even pres
idential precedents, in order to give
the committee information concerning
the covenant of the league. There
you are.
It Is said that the committee prefers
to hear Secretary Of State Lansing,
and as there is no precedent to pre-
vent the appearance of the secretary
OF state the chances seem to be that 1t
will be necessary for him to be the
presidential spokesman and the presi-
Dental bearer Of facts and arguments,
If the committee is open to arguments.
A century ago question arose as to
the appointment of minister to Swe-
den. The senate committee asked
President Madison to appear before 1t
to bear testimony in the matter. Mr..
Madison replied that the presidents
dealings must be with the congress
and not with committee of the con-
gress, and he did not appear. This is
the precedent which a hundred years
after Mr.. Lodge has invoked as a rea-
son, whether substantial one or not
the people must judge for themselves,
for declining to ask President Wilson
to appear before the committee ON for
eign relations.
Take Time to Consider.
From the present outlook 1t may be
close to the anniversary Of the sign
ing Of the armistice before the League
Of Nations covenant and the, treaty of
peace as one document are acted upon
finally by the senate Of the United
States. Senator Lodge says that it
will take his committee at least a
month, and perhaps more, to give full
consideration to the great document.
Then it is believed that there will be
six or eight weeks discussion before
the final vote on ratification is taken.
There have been occasions In Ameri-
can history when the people have been
able to hurry legislative matters in
congress by writing letters. or sending
kilograms to their senator's and repre-
sentatives. II seems entirely likely
that the proponents and opp0neAts o.
the League Of Nations In the senates
of the United States, and in other on
cial circles in Washington, win urge
that the people start "a message lob
by" or, In other words, start letters
and kilograms on their way to the sem
ate urging ratification or rejection OF
the covenant
If the people respond to this invita-
ton 1t is possible that history will re-
peat itself. When railroad rate legis-
lation was under consideration in
congress there was one provision In
the proposed law which was Of intense
interest to the railroad employees Of
the country. Recollection has 1t that
the provision WIS one which forbade
railroad passes being issued to any
hodxy oof1Iol i1rnod oTpNn1nuaoo
This meant that the law as proposed
would prevent the granting Of passes
to the members of the families of rail-
road employees, even when the work
Of the road compelled the removal OF
an employee from cne city to another,
a removal which necessitated his TAX
ing his family with him. In this case
the bombardment Of congress with let
ters and kilograms caused change in
the legislation.
Lobby at a Distance.
It is said by old members of con-
gress that the canteens in the army
posts of the country were legislated
out of existence through the medium
of kilograms and letters. In the old
days it was legal to sell light wines
and beers to the soldiers in the post
canteens. The Women's Christian
Temperance Union started crusade
to get rid of the canteen as light
wine and beer selling institution.
Telegrams and letters in behalf Of the
abolition of the canteen came in thou
sands, the bombardment being the re-
suit Of an appeal made by the women
of the organization which had inter
ested itself in the matter.
Congress fully expects that in few
weeks the revenues Of the post offices
and the telegraph companies, and to
some extent of the telephone COM
panies, Will be increased by the desire
of American citizens to influence sem
ators either in behalf of or against
ratification of the covenant of the
League of Nations. 1t has been said
in Washington at times that the lobby
at distance" is more powerful than
the "lobby present"