The Chattanooga news. [volume] (Chattanooga, Tenn.) 1891-1939, 1919-06-19
PARTISAN CLASH
GROWS HEATED
Colorado Democrat Opposes
Adoption Knox ResoIu-
tion as UnWiSe.
ROUND ROBIN CITED
During Hot Replies to Chal-
lenge That Republicans
Stacked Against League.

Washington, june 1e.--(A. P)--
Adoption of the Knox resolution re-
garding the league Of nations and the
peace treaty would be interpreted as
an unealed for effort by the senate
to dictate to the peace conference,
Senator Thomas, democrat, Colorado,
said today in opposing the measure.
The Colorado senator declared the
proposal that the senate declare itself
now against accepting the league as
intertwned with the peace terms,
was improper and unwIsc.
Before Senator Thomas spoke,
Senator Spencer, republican, of Mis-
souri,. who had not previously indi-
Gated his views regarding the league
of nations, introduced resolution
proposing that the senate declare that
under any league plan adopted appli-
cation of the Monroe doctrine must
be reserved entirely for national de-
termination. The resolution went
over without action.
The Spencer resolution would de-
clare the Monroe doctrine IAN essrn-
tial national policy" and that the ne
cessity and extent of its application and
enforcement are matters to be
determined alone by the United
States"
As to Purely Internal Issues.
The tariff, immigration and like in
ternal questions would be declared
matters to be determined entirely
by the country in which they arise
and under no circumstances ques-
tions for settlement under the league
Of nations"
The resolution would declare also
that the United States cannot bind
itself in advance to either make wat
in the future or to send its army and
navy into other lands for purposes
Of control"
Senator Thomas. in opening his ad-
dress on the Knox resolution, de-
clared the measure raised funda-
mental questions regarding the power
of the senate in treaty making and
also of expediency of an expression IN
by the senate.
II believe it is not only improper
for the senate to adopt or reject it.
he said, "but it is also unwise, at this
time, to go on record regarding 1t az
a part of the tfeaty-naking power
We should not e9ttempt4s stt this time
to advise the peace congress al
Paris. either OF our own views con
corning it's work or as to what the
treaty should contain"
Replying to Senator Knox's
charges that the democrats had made
the league partisan issue, Senator
Thomas cited the round robin of the
last session against the league, ION
which the name of the republican
leader led all the rest" Democratic
senators, Mr.. Thomas said. were
given no opportunity to sign the doc
ument.
1.-THE republicans" he continued
have reorganized this senate. They
have thoroughly reorganiZed the
committee on foreign relations. 1t is
an open secret that no new senators
except enemies of the league of ma
tions were eligible to membership on
that committee"
Senator Pomerene, Ohio, demo-
cratic member of the committee. in
terrupted to remark that the repub-
licans also were mot satisfied until
they had given themselves major
ity of three on the committee. Sena-
tor Williams, democrat, of Missis-
sippi, challenged any republican SEN
ator to deny that the committee had
been stacked against the league?"
The challenge started a partisan
clash so heated that Vice President
Marshall repeatedly admonished SEN
ators breaking the rules. Sena-
tor Moses. of New Hampshire, a new
republican member of the committee
said his selection to membership had
been stacked against the president
only in the sense that he is a demo-
crat and l am a republican"
NO" shouted Senator Williams
"you have stacked 1t against the hope
of world peace, as well as against a
democratic president. You have left
on it only one republican favorine
the league, Mr.. McCumber, of North
Dakota, and the reason you left him
was because you didn't dare take him
Off"
Senator Mccormick, republican, OF
Illinois. declared it might also be
said that the peace commission to
Paris was stacked with democrats
ready to bow to the will of the chief
executive"
Senator Williams replied that the
Paris conference at least had done its
work. while the republican senator's
through the Knox resolution, were
asking for time to think when, II
you had any capacity to think at all
you'd have thought long ago"