Arizona republican., 1919-02-20
Poindexter In Senate and Fess In House Deliver Prepared Speeches Others Sched- uled To Speak This Week Both Addresses Viciously Declare United States Will Sur render Constitutional Prerogatives By Adop- ton Of League Program.

WASHINGTON, Feb. 19.-Vigorous criticism of the proposed constitution of the league of nations was voiced today in both houses of congress.
 Speaking for three hours before crowded galleries, Senator PoindeXter of Washington, republican, precipi tated a discussion in the senate which embraced other subjects and consumed practically the entire session. How ever, there was no formal reply to the Washington senator from the demo- cratic side.
 Discussion in the house was uneX- pected and was not general. Just as the members were settling down for a night session, Representative Fess of Ohio, chairman of the republican congressional campaign committee, de- livered a carefully prepared address in which he took up the constitution, section by section, and denounced the whole as abridging the sovereignty of the United States and containing wi cious possibilities"
 The address by Senator Poindexter and Representative Fess were the first prepared ones made in congress since the constitution of the league was published, and since President Wilson requested that discussion be postponed until he could confer with members of the senate and house foreign affairs committees at the White House next week.
 When Representative F'ess concluded there was no further discussion in the house, but during Senator Poindexter' $ address, Senator Hitchcock of Nebras- ka, republican, Leader Lodge and Sena- tors Knok of Pennsylvania and Bran degee of Connecticut, all members of the foreign relations committee, brief ly interjected comment on questions involved in the league. /
 Reed, Democrat, Joins
 Senator Reed of Missouri, democrat spoke in criticism of the proposal and
 also vigorously denounced delay in demobilizing American troops.
 Senator Shafroth of Colorado demo crat, in defending the war department after MT. Reeds attack, spoke briefly in support of the league charter, de claring it would stop nine tenths oi future wars.
 During the day, Senator Borah oi Idaho, republican member of the for eign relations committee, who yester day announced his refusal to attend the White House conference. made public a letter he had written former i President Taft, d leading supporter Ol i the league plan. asking Mir. Taft 1 whether he would support an amend ment to the tentative constitution tC 1 provide specifically for maintenance | of the Monroe doctrine.
 ! Resumption of attack on the leagu, 1 tomorrow in the senate is in prospect l Senator Borah is ready to speak, bu ! may defer his address until Friday l SeAator Cummins of Iowa, republican
 also is preparing an address for de l livery later this week, and Senato i Reed gave formal notice today that h,
 would discuss the league on Saturday 1 Senator Hitchcock also is planning
 an early reply to the critics of tn,
 league.
 Senator Poindexter. in his address today, declared that the league charte
 conflicted with the constitution of tn United States and meant not only sur l rendering of American sovereignty l.
 European nations, but also abandon
 ment of the Monroe doctrine. He als declared the league plan involved
 ''colloSal burden of entangling al
 liances," and would breed instead o
 prevent wars.
 The Washington senator particular ly attacked the provisions of the leagu
 charter for disarmament and manda
 tories. Referring to the president
 request that debate be postponed Senator PoindeXter declared the SUD , ject was too vitally important to per , init postponement of discussion. Involves Alien Alliances , Interrupting the Washington mem } Der, Senator Reed suggested that th } leagues executive council would D } composed of eight non- American mem bers,-possibly enemies, and that il mandatory clause would require th | United States to furnish troops in sur ] pressing nationalistic uprisings Canada, Ireland, Australia and otht : countries.
 1 In his first public comment on u league charter Senator Lodge declare he was convinced the provisions f, mandatories would be compulsory upc signatory nations.
 Disputing Senator Poindexter
 statement that this was the first tin
 1 dHN attempt Hdu DCtIl ildut iO IT e strict congressional power, Senat 7, Hitchcock cited the Canadian boundal I, treaty, with its prohibition again t naval forces in boundary waters, $ precedent of direct restriction. upt S congressional powers over armamer
 Senator Knox declared the precede e applied only to boundary matter n while Senator Brandegee said { e treaty validating the league could n e be set aside as could be done in t = case of other treaties.
 After Senator Poindexter had col n ctuded, Senator Reed deplored delay Il consideration of peace treaty whi "a would make possible the early return a American overseas forces, and declar d much valuable time had been "fritter - ,away' in Paris in discussion of .s league of nations.
 He said he favored immediate retu of the American forces from EuroI 'l and declared urgent demands for sh l. ping should be made upon the allies. d Prolonged applause came from t e, galleries when the Missouri senat Ie said that if the allies refused shippir )f the United States should immediate IS revoke all commercial privileges nc = accorded them. The spectators we 'e sharply teprimanded by Vice Preside l. Marshall
 = If we had been making peace i 1t stead of contracts for the future, ' h would have been much nearer a fin IS settlement of peace conditions" sa 1f Mir. Reed, asserting that retention le
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