The Birmingham age-herald., 1919-02-16
CONGRESS ASKED BY PRESIDENT ID
 POSTPONE DEBATE

Washington, February 15.-Prcsi- dent Wilson today cabled a request to the foreign relations commit tees of Congress to defer debate on the constitution of the proposed league of nations until he had an opportunity to go over it 'article by articIe' with members. There is a good and sufficient reas- on for the phraseology and substance
 of each article" declared the Presi-
 dent in his message. transmitted 1 through Secretary Tumulty. Members of the Senate and House ! committees will dine at the White
 House on February 26, the day after the President is expected to land at
 Boston. This early meeting was inter preted as evidence of the Presidents determination to get the details of the
 new world federation for peace before Congrss as quickly as possible. The cabled invitation did not name
 date for the conference, but almost inn mediately the time was announced and
 this was taken to mean the President would proceed here directly from Bos- ton after an address in that city. PRESIDENTS MESSAGE The Presidents message, dated Paris, February 14, follows:
 Last night the committee of the con ference charged with the duty of draft ling a cosntitutfon for league of na-
 lions concluded its work and this aft ernoon before leaving for the United States it is to be my privilege and duty to read to plenary session of the conference the text of the 26 arr ticies agreed upon by the committee. The committee which drafted these articles was fairly representative of the world. Besides the representatives of the United States, Great Britain. France, Italy and Japan, representatives of Belgium Serbia China, Greece, Ru- mania, Czecho- -Slovakia, Poland, Bra gil and Portugal actively participated in the debate and assisted materially in the drafting of this constitution. Each article was passed only after the most careful examination by each member of the committee. There is a good and sufficient reason for the phraseology and substance of each article. I request
 that be permitted to go over with you article bysarticle of the constitution be- fore this part of the work of the con: I'ference is made the subject of debate of Congress. With this in view l re- quest that you dine with me at the White House as soon after I arrive in the United States as my engagements permit" - HITCHCOCK PLEASED Chairman Hitchcock of the Senate foreign relations committee expressed qualification when advised tonight of President Wilson's plans for consulta- tion with the Senate and House com mittees.
 Tn this matter, both democratic and republican members of the committees will be able to exchange views with the President" said Mir. Hitchcock "He will come fresh from the scene, with impressions and, very probably, infor- nation, which will be of immense value in consideration of the leagues con; stitution. I think the conferences will be of great value"
 Senator Hitchcock said he was ready Ito meet the Presidents request for post ponement of discussion until after the White House conference. He said he knew of no plans by democratic senators to discuss the subject at pres ent, Democratic and republican leaders indicated that both parties were in clined to respect the Presidents wishes in the matter of debate, although it was said some members might desire to express their views forthwith. It had been expected there would be gen eral discussion of the league today but only brief reference was made to it dur ing consideration of the rivers and har bors bill.
 LODGE IS SILENT Senator Lodge of Massachusetts, the republican leader. who will become
 chairman of the foreign relations com mittee in the next Congress. was looked to for an expression of his party's at titude, but declined to comment. ex-
 blaming he had not had time to study the details of the proposed constitution
 Upon Senator Lodges request the text was put into the Congressional Record, The Massachusetts senator promptly agreed when Senator Pittman of Ne vada asked that the Presidents ad- dress in presenting the document be
 included.
 Outside of the chamber many sena-
 tors were as reticent on the subject as
 they had been on the floor, but th9e were a number of expressions of ap-
 proval from democrats.
 Reference to the league was made on
 the floor of the Senate during the day
 by Senator Williams of Mississippi,
 democrat, who said while it had been
 criticized as visionary. it appeared the
 most practical thing to meet the situa- tion.
 My only quarrel with the proposed
 plan is that it does not go far enough"
 he added.
 Declaring some sacrifices must be
 made. he questioned the propriety of
 aiming general criticism at the Presi-
 dent in attacking the league. Oppo-
 sftion to the Presidents plans had de-
 veloped chiefly, he said. from the radi-
 cal element, women whom he called