Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1919-02-16
Members Of House and Senate
Committees to Dine at the
White House and Hear the
Document Fully Explained.
PRESIDENT DESIRES
TO GET QUICK ACTION
Most Senators to Respect the
Presidents Wishes as TO
Debate, but Some May In
SiSt On Expressing Views.

I
/ 10y ~oENIHa JouRsAL SPECIAL LEASED wtssI
Washington. Feb 15,-President
/ Wilson today cabled a request to the
/ foreign relations committees OF con-
gress to defer debate on the constitu-
| tion of the proposed league of ma
tIonS until he had an opportunity TO
go over it, article by article" with
the members.
There is good and sufficient rea-
son for the phraseology and substance
of each article" declared the presi-
dent in his message transmitted
through Secretary Tumulty.
Members of the senate and house
committees viii dine at the White
House ON February 26, the day after
the president IS expected to land at
Roston, This early meeting was in
terpreted as of the presidents deter
mination to get the details of the new
world federation for peace before
congress as quickly as possible.
The cahled invitation did not name
date for the conference but almost
Immediately the time was announced
and this was taken to mean that the
president would proceed here direct
from Boston after an address in that
city
The Presidents message, dated
Paris, February IA, follows:
Last night the committee of the
conference charged with the duty OF
drafting constitution for league of
nations concluded It's work and this
afternoon before leaving for the Unit
ed States it Is to be my privilege and
duty to read to a plenary session OF
the conference the text Of 90 articles
agreed upon by the committee.
Committee Representative
'rhe committee hch drafted
these articles was fairly representa-
tive of the world Besides the repre-
scntatives OF the United States, Great
Britain. France, Italy and Japan,
representatives of Belgium. Serbia,
China. Greece, Rumania. Czecho-Slo-
vakta, Poland, Brazil, Portugal act
lively part cipated in the debate and
assisted materially in the drafting of
this constitution. Each article was
passed only after the most careful ex-
animation by each member of the
committee. There is good and suf-
fictent reason for the phraseology and
substance of each article. | request
that | he permitted to go over with
you article by article the constitution
conference is made the subject of de-
bate of congress, With this in view
! request that you dine with me at
the White House as soon after as I
arrive in the United States as my en-
gagements permit
Outside of the chambers many sem
ators were as reticent on the subject
as they had been on the floor. but
thore We're q number of expressions
Of approval from democrats
Reference to the league was made
on the floor of tho senate during the
day by Senator Williams of Missis-
2ppi, democrat, who said while it had
been criticised as visionary. it ap-
reared the most practical thing to
meet the situation
My only quarrel with the proposed
plan is that it does not so far enough,
he added
Declaring that some sacrifices
must be made, he questioned the pro-
priety of aiming general criticism at
the president in attacking the league
Opposition to the presidents plans
had developed chiefly he said, from
the radical element, women whom he
called bonfire burners" and "a few
senators and congressman"
Chairman Hitchcock OF the senate
pressed much qualification when al-
yised tonight of President Wilson's
plans for consultation with the senate
and house committee"
I'm this manner, both democratic
and republican memters of the COM
mittee will be able to exchange views
with the president" said MIR. Hitch
cock. "He will. come fresh from the
scene, with impressions and, very
probably, information which win he
Of immense value in consideration
Of the leagues constitution | think
the conferences will be of great vail
ue."
Senator Hitchcock said he was
ready to reach the presidents re-
quest for postponemcnt of discussion
until after the White House confer
ence. lie said he knew of no plans by
democratic senators to discuss the sub
ject at present
Some May Not BE Silent.
Democratic and republican leaders
indicated that both parties were in
clincd to respect the presidents wish
es in the matter of debate, although
1t was sa'd some members might desire
to express their views forthwith. 1t
had been expected that there would
be general discussion of the league to-
aay but only brief reference was
made to it during consideration of the
rivers and harbors bill
Senator Ledge of Massachusetts,
the republican leader who will be-
come chairman of the foreign rela-
tons committee I'M the next congress.
was looked to for an expression of his
party's attitude, but declined to COM
ment, explaining that he had not had
time to study the detaiis of the pro-
nreed constitution Upon Senator
Lodges request the text was put into
the congressional record The Massa-
senator promptly agreed
when Senator Pittman of Nevada
asked that the presidents address in
presenting the document be included.