New-York tribune., 1919-06-14
Fight on Knox Resolution
Based on Charge Au-
thor, Lodge and Borah
Play Cermany's Game
Democrats Excited
Over Effect Abroad
Republicans Are Amused;
Say Committees Report
Reflected Attitude Here
By Carter Field
Ne10 York Tribune
WASHINGTON Bureau


New York Tribune
WASHINGTON Bureau
WASHINGTON, June ia dram
attic counter offensive by President
Wilson against the Senators who are
moving the Knox resolution is now
imminent.
The urgent necessity for action has
been represented to him in cablegrams.
What his replies have been, if any, can
not be learned, but those best in q
position to know believe action will
take the form of an attack on Senators
Knox, Lodge and Borah, with their
supporters, as playing the game which
the Germans want.
An indication of this was apparent
to-day after a conference between Act
ing Secretary Of State Polk, Senator
Hitchcock, the Administration leader
in the upper house, and David Hunter
Miller. Mr.. Miller is just back from
Paris, where he was an adviser on in
ternational matters to the American
peace mission.
Immediately after this conference
there was caucus of Democratic
Senators, to consider ways and means
Of opposing the Knox resolution, or
any other plan of delaying action on
the league of nations covenant until
after peace has been obtained. 1t de-
veloped strongly at the caucus that the
Administration view brought into the
situation by Mr.. Polk was that the
Republicans must be held up as help
ing the Germans.
Close questioning of Democratic
Senators, who were caustic in their
comments on their political opponents
after the caucus, did not throw very
much light on just how delaying action
on the league until after peace had
been restored would aid the Germans.
The answer of most OF them was:
"The Germans are playing for time,
aren't they? Well, this will provide
delay, and that will help them"
Second Conference Held
Following the caucus another confer
ence was held tonight at the home of
Senator Hitchcock, attended by Secre-
tary Polk and Mr.. Miller, at which the
effect of the Knox resolution on the
peace conference at Paris was dis
cussed. There was considerable in
terest on the part of the Republicans
in these conferences as they recalled
the strong effort Of Mr.. Hitchcock to
have Secretary Polk brought before
the Foreign Relations Committee be-
fore the committee reported the Knox
resolution. Mr.. Hitchcock at that time
proposed that Mr.. Polk should give
the committee "in confidence" any rea-
sons he might have for thinking the
Knox resolution would affect adversely
the work of the peace conference.
At the Democratic caucus no doubt
was left that the Administration Sem
ators must do everything in their
resolution. They are anxious to pre-
vent even getting the Knox resolu-
tion up, if possible, as once taken up
it would be possible for some one to
move to lay it on the table, which
would at once produce vote without
any further debate, and while this
would not be line UP on the main
question, in the strict parliamentary
sense, it would be test vote, which
would have due weight at Paris.
Some Republicans Amused
Some Of the Republicans are in
clined to laugh at the excitement over
the Knox resolution in Administration
circles. They believe the purpose of
the Knox resolution, in so far as it's
effect on the peace conference is con-
cerned, already has been had. They
believe the favorable report by the
Senate Foreign Relations Committee
following the introduction of the reso-
luton by a man who is a former Sec
rotary of State of the party in con-
troll of both houses of Congress, is
just as effective as Il "Round Robin
or a vote.
This view, however, is not shared
by Acting Secretary Of State Polk, nor
by Senator Hitchcock, as Administra-
tion leader. Both were much excited
to-day over what they regarded frankly
as the danger Of the situation, and
both are intensely anxious to prevent
anything so formal as a vote which
would disclose more than one-third oi
the Senate to be in favor of post
poning action on the League of Ma
tions until after the peace treaty has