Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1919-03-07
NO EXTRA SESSION

On several occasions of late the president has de-
clared his intention to call no extra session Of congress
until his return from Europe. He does not intend to re-
turn, he has assured the country, until terms Of peace
have been agreed on by the delegates to the peace con-
ference. And there has been not a little speculation Is to
why there is to be no extra session.
The presidents statement of his reasons for giving
the work Of the peace conference precedence over every
thing else may be accepted As ample and convincing. Just
as it was necessary. during the war. to organize every ac-
tivny with reference to it, so it is necessary now to post
pone everything that tends to complicate the work Of
making peace-the completion of the work which we un-
dertook when we went to war.
But, admitting all this. the presidents attitude In
wolves two other assumptions. one, that the presidents
presence in Europe is essential to the formulation OF
proper terms Of peace. and the other that the congress,
il called in extra session, will not operate successfully in
the p%residenta absence.
On the first assumption We believe that there has
been a decided change in. American public opinion during
recent months. The presidents announcement that he
intended to attend the peace conference in person was
looked on with disfavor by = very large number Of our
people who believed that his own best work could be
done at home. and that the United States could be fifty
represented at the conference by eminent men who could
easily be found. A. the weeks have passed, and the de-
velopments in Europe have been observed, many who
were inclined to criticize the president for going to Eu-
rope nave come 10 re8At0 MS VISIT W1th more FAVOR. IL
is easy to point out some places in which the American
delegation could have been strengthened, as, for instance,
by the substitution OF Elihu Root or william H. Taft for
M. White. the Republican member of the commission.
But because Of the position which he occupies, no other
man than President Wilson could have carried the mes
sage Of America to the people Of Europe ~ impresstvely
Is he has done, nor would the message, delivered from
other lips have been accorded such a reception.
There remains the assumption that the 9residents
presence in washinston IS necessary while an extra SEES
zion is in progress Why? There were people who said
that the president should not 80 away last December ana
leave congress to ii pvn devices. He thought dinerently
then. He has bean abasnt during practically all Of the
three months Of the session. IL 1t was proper for him
then. Why not nowf II it - replied that = Republican
CONGRESS would not enact such legislation as tho president
desires. one needs only to cali attention to the fact that
nsthc late congress sone Of the most strenuous opposition
y administrators bills came from the Democratic side.
and III the very closing days whom It was apparent that
A would " nezt to impossible to rush administrator bills
through, Democrats members q well - RepubusAp con-
suzasd time IN spsschsss On matters mot 1t al nlatsd 70
the bnsines bsfors The tvs housed Taking It an tossther.
t~heYefors. the situation with Inference to Why there 10 TO
y No sxt,A session seems "a - decidedly mixed.