New-York tribune., 1919-02-27
1t Won't Work


no extra session of Congress until after
his return, in June or later, from a
second journey to Europe will be read
@seemingly, must be read-as born of
a determination not to allow, if he can
prevent it, any open discussion of his
peace plan. The business of effectuating
"open covenants of peace, openly ar
rived at" is to go on in secret. Having
shut the door on all orderly public con-
sideration of perhaps the most important
question the country ever has had be-
fore it, the President apparently hopes
to coerce a ratification of any plan he
may bring home by tying it to the peace
treaty proper.
The President has changed his mind
since he said to Congress just before he
took ship: 81 shall be in close touch with
you and you will know all that |
do" And again az shall not be mac
cessible." And still again: 81 am the
servant of the people" A crossing of
meridians has led him to lose his ex-
pressed love for pitiless publicity. The
counsel of Congress and of the public
wearies him. He would have an end to
the nonsense Of debate. He knows best
He will not be bothered as he pursues
his high purposes.
The President has reverted to the
mood he was in when, before the No
vember election, he suggested almost
ordered-none be elected to Congress
except those pledged to blind subsewi-
ence; to the mood later revealed when,
in Liberty bond appeal it was made
plain the public would do its full duty
by contining itself to bond purchases,
leaving other matters to those specially
charged with responsibility
1t is not feasible to lock up the press,
even though Congress may be. The
espionage law was not a perfect piece
of legislation, but by inference all and
several have had indicated to them what
they should do. The country is to main
tain respectful silence until a self-ap-
pointed messenger returns from Sinai
with the tables of the law, and then every
one is to shout hosanna The assigned
role is not acceptable
The experiment of the President in
seeking to rule without parliament is
doubtless we'll meant, but will not sue
ceed in noisy and vocable democracy.
If Charles I could not make the plan
work; if Louis XVI could not make it
work when he drove the National AS
sembly to meet in the Tennis Court; if
the Car could not make it work in
Russia when he attempted to dissolve
the Duma just before the revolution, it
cannot be made to work in America.
The new Congress has a later mandate
from the people than any possessed by
the President, and it will find ways to
vlndicate the principle that the legis-
lative department, under the Constitu-
ton, is an integral part of the govern
ment, and is charged with responsibility
touching the dispatch of public business.
Blunt old John Adams once declared:
Amy man who controls my vote, or
wants to control my vote, is an aristo-
crat"-meaning by that an enemy Of
democracy. The spirit of Adams is not
entirely dead. The President has COM
mitted an amazing mistake-a blunder
almost comparable to the one Of Andrew
Johnson when he assumed the privilege
OF settling the Civil War without regard
to the wishes of Congress. The political
dispute at Washington is widening into
channels none expected.
Ihe latest development is of such q
character as to amply warrant. if not
require, some real friend of the pres;-
dent to break in on his privacy and say;
it won't do. Americans also believe in
the right of self-determnation.