Omaha daily bee., 1919-03-01
HITCHCOCK
AND LODGE
WRANGLE
ON LEAGUE
Nebraska Senator DenounCes
as PrepoStterOus Position
Taken by Bay State
Senator in Debate.

Washington, Feb. 2S.-Republican
senators today returned to their as
sault on the constitution of the
league of nations as proposed to the
peace conference at Paris, with
Senator Lodge of Massachusetts,
who will be chairman of the power
full foreign relations committee in
the new senate, making his first
pronouncement since the document
became public.
Criticism by the republicans did
not pass unchaIlenged. Chairman
Hitchcock of the foreign relations
committee took sharp issue with the
Massachusetts senator, denouncing
as preposterous his suggestion that
the league would take from Amer
lea its right OF self-defense.
Lodge Voices Warning.
Delivering before crowded floor
and gallaries an address he had pre-
pared before attending the White
House dinner conference last
Wednesday night, Senator Lodge
warned the American people to con-
slider we'll before departing from the
policies of Washington and to in
sist upon revision of the league con-
stitution. Later in the day, Senator'S
Lenroot of Wisconsin and Freling
huysen of New Jersey made addi-
tional demands for amendment OF
the charter.
Senator Lodge, speaking before
an audience which included diplo-
matte representatives OF seversl
foreign nations, deplored proposals
to give powers to the league which
be said would cause the Monroe
doctrine to disappear" would
abridge American sovereignty and
in the end promote misunderstand-
ings and war instead of the peace
which the world so much desired,
Declares Document Loosely Drawn,
The Massachusetts senator assail-
ed especially the provisions for ter
ritorial guarantees, mandatories and
disarmament. Besides demanding
revision of these clauses, the seua-
tor declared that domestic questionsg
such as immigration, should be defi-
nitely placed beyond the authority
of the league He said the entire
document was loosely drawn. admit
ting of wide Interpretation. and add
ed that it should be redrafted TO
make dispute of construction impos-
sible.
Senator Lodge told the senate that
for Lincoln's government Of the
people, by the people and for the
people, the United States was not
asked to substitute on many vital
points government of, for and BIZ
other people, and declared the na-
tion should pause and consider we'll
before taking this fateful STEP
I'VE are asked" said the senator
to move away from George Wash.
ington toward the other end of the
line at which stands the sinister
Inquire of Trotzky, the champion Of
lnternationaliSm We must build
no bridges across the chasm which
now separates American freedom
and order from Russian anarcht,
and destruction"
Urge Fundamental Revision.
Like Senator Lodge, Senator's
'Lenroot and Freiinghuysen warned
against acceptance of the league
constitution without careful deliber-
alton and without fundamental rc-
vision. While favoring a league
that would not conflict with Ameri-
can principles and soyereignty.
Senator Lenroot urged that as the
project is an experiment, its life be
limited to 10 years with provision
for renewal if it proves successful.
Senator Frelinghuysen disputed
any assumption that President VIII
son represented publicsentiment in
proposing participation of America
in the league and demanded that the
country be fully informed on all
phases of the question before the
senate is asked to consider it as 4
part OF the peace treaty.
Debate on the league will con.
tinue tomorrow with addresses b%
Senators, Knox OF Pennsylvania,
former secretary Of state, and Sen
ator Hardwick Of Georgia, demo-
crat