New-York tribune., 1919-03-05
President Explains
His s'Prcscnt Duty
Opposition 10 the League
Grows; Executive Is Ac-
cused Of Dcdgging Issue
BY Garter Field
Ncw Yorh Tribune
u sf,iuCfor Burcrr

~ uSHtNGtoN bNcTr
WASHINGTON. March 4-Thc 65th
Congress ended at noon to day with the
bittcrest clash between the President
and the Legislators which has occur
rcd since Mr.. Wilson entered The White
House.
Not only did the Senate in its clos
ing hours fail to pass bills tho failure
of which has always meant in the past
an almost immediate extra session Of
Congress, but the upper house also em-
barrassed tho President in two distinct
ways in his fight for the league of na
tions, as follows:
I. Thrty-nino Senator's Of the next
Congress signed or authorized tho
signing Of their names to a round
robin, declaring against the league, as
proposed, and in favor Of the conc1u-
sion of the peace treaty before The
league was considered
:. An iron front against the naval
bill, which would have given tho Pros
dent, according to opponents Of the
conference, inasmuch Is discretion
would have been vested in MIN to begin
an armament race or not, as ne SAW
fit, without further action by Con-
gress.
Immediately following tho adjourn
mcnt President Wilson issued a state
mcnt explaining his position and de-
nouncing the attitude Of the Senators
1t read:
"A group of men in the Senate have
deliberately chosen to cmbarrass the
administration Of the government, TO
lmrcrl the financial interests Of the
railway systems Of the country and
to make arbitrary use of powers in
tended to be employed in the inter
est of the people.
at is plainly my present duty to
attend the peace conference in Paris
1t is also my duty to be in close CON
tact with the public business during
session of the Congress. ! must
make my choice between these two
duties, and confidently hope that
the people Of the country will think
that | am making the right choice.
ut is not in the interest of the
right conduct of public affairs that
should call the Congress in special
session while it is impossible for me
to be in Washington bccaue of a more
pressing duty elsewhere. to cooperate
with the houses.
Il take it for granted that the men
who have obstructed and have pre-
vented the passage Of necessary leg
islation have taken all of this into
consideration and arc willing to as
sumo the sponsibility of the i'm
paired efficiency Of the govern
ment and the embarrassed finances
of the country during the time of my
enforced absence"
Republican Senators Bitter
Republican leaders contrastcd the
Presidents statement with the Ian
guagc he used Just before going to
Europe in December, whom he was OK
planning how easily he could attend
the peace conference and yet keep j.,
sufficiently close touch with the legis-
lative situation in Washington.
Three months and two days ago
when the third session of the Sixty
fifth Congress convened, President Will
son explained that he would be absent
during the most Of the session and
added:
II shall be in close touch with
you and with affairs on this side of
the water and you will know all that
| DO.
| shall not be inacces-
sibe. The cables aud the wireless
will. render me available for any
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