The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-05-24

ate by taking this action would render
itself guilty of a gross breach of the
international properieties. Further, by
| making this demand. the Senate would
give an indication that It distrusts the
President and the sincerity and eccu-
racy Of the synopsis that has been pre-
| sented to u.s.
The last observation of Senator Hitch
| coci. was received with general out
| burst OF smiles. some of them audible,
and all OF them bit suggestive of de-
rision on tho Republican side.
In conclusion, IT move to send the
| resolution to the Committee on Fore, IN
Relations" said Senator Hitchcock.
No Earthly Reason for Secrecy.
Senator johnson was on his feet the
instant Senator Hitchcock sat down. 81
! confess myself utterly unable to compre-
| bend the mental strabismus that afflicts
the Senator from Nebraska" he said.
1T is the veriest tommy rot to say that
text given to us would necessarily be
given to all the other countries. Will 1t
be contended that a disaster has over
! taken the Paris Conference because we
have been given this synopsis, which
contains a full and complete view of It's
| contents? It not. and the synopsis is
| really full and complete, as It is assumed
| to be, then there Is no reason on earth
why we should not get the full text
This 10 the first time in my knowledge
that any American statesman has con-
tended that we could in secret settle the
destinies of hundred million free peo-
pie and of the generation that are yet
to follow
Senator Thomas (Col), Democrat
offered an amendment to address the
request to the President instead of the
Secretary of state and to qualify 1t with
the phrase III not incompatible with
the public interest"
Senator Robinson (Ark.). Democrat,
regretted the disposition which he OBJ
served among Republicans to make the
question party one. He insisted that
they had done this, because some weeks
ago Senator Lodge (Mass.), Republican
leader, and Senator Curtis (Kan), the
Republican whip, sent kilograms to Re-
publican Senators, asking them not to
discuss the treaty until It could be con-
sidered by the Republicans in confer
ence and a policy toward II determined
upon.
Senator Lodge pointed out that the
President himself was the first person
who attempted to prevent discussion.
He sent a message while on his way
back from Europe requesting that MEM
bers of the Foreign Relations Commit
tee should not discuss the subject until
he had had opportunity to explain 1t
to them; land with the exception of
one member. the Foreign Relations Com
mittee obeyed that request until after
the dinner at the White House. But
the President. himself, while we were
refraining from discussion. acquiescing
In his wish, went to New York and made
an impassioned speech in favor of the
League of Nations"
Partisan Charge Insisted On.
Senator Robinson persisted in his
charge that the Republicans were maxi
ing party question of something which
he believed should far transcend any
mere party consideration. He charged
that the Senator from Washington (Mr.
Poindexter) had attempted to make it
party issue, and Mr.. Poindexter. while
denying that he had done anything of
the kind said that for himself he would
be glad to see 1t made a question of
party. because he considered there was
no more important function of a great
political party than to give leadership
and direction to public opinion regard
ing such towering and vital issues
Senator Thomas spoke at some length
in opposition to the johnson resolution.
on the ground that the Senate was not
entitled to interfere with the negotia-
lions while they are in progress.
Senator Sherman (Ill) then took the
floor. An amusing incident marked the
beginning of his address, Before he
had risen, Senator Robinson had charged
that as long ago as 1907 Senator Lodge
maintained that the Senate had no right
to call on the President for information
regarding the pending negotiations. In
support of this statement, and of the
charge that Senator Lodge had changed
front he read from the record a speech
made by the Massachusetts, Senator in
March, 1907.
Senator Lodge denied that the cases
were parallel, or that he had in fact
altered his attitude. He still believed
that the President was the sole negotia-
tor, and could not be required to COM
municate the progress of the negotia-
lions to the Senate until they were COM
pleted. But he merely agreed with
Senator Johnson that the publication OF
a synopsis of the treaty which purported
TO be a full and complete exposition of
It's contents, had brought the present
negotiations TO the point where the
Senate was entitled to demand the com
plete text instead of a mere synopsis.
Quotes n Wilson Lecture.
While this quotation of Lodge IN 1907
against Lodge in 1919 was in progress
Senator Mccormick Ull) was observed
diligently turning over some papers
which he had extracted from his desk
and when he found what he wanted he
walked over to the desk OF his colleague,
Mr. Sherman, and handed to him
bundle of typewriter papers From one
Of these Senator Sherman. by way OF
illustrating that statesmen are liable to
be on opposite sides Of the same ques-
ton at different times in their careers.
read, amid Senatorial laughter from the
Republican side, a quotation from a lee
ture by Prof Woodrow Wilson OF Prince
ton delivered in 1908 at Columbia Uni
versity, as follows:
but there Is another course which the
President may follow. and which one or
two Presidents of unusual political sa-
gacity, have followed, with the satisfac-
tory results that were to have been ex-
pected. He may be himself less stiff
and offish, may himself act in the true
spirit Of the Constitution and establish
intimate relations OF confidence with the
Senate on his own initiative, not carry
ing his plans 10 completion and then lay
ing the min final form before the Senate
to be accepted or rejected. but keeping
himself in confidential communication
with the leaders of the Senate while his
plans are in course, when their advice
will be OF service to him and his infor-
nation Of the greatest service to them
in order that there may be veritable
counsel and real accommodation of
views instead of final challenge and
contest The policy which has made
rivals of the President and the Senate