New-York tribune., 1919-02-27

thctf CLAIMS, Dul because tney SnoulO
be erected as barriers to restrict any
possible threatening development OF
Germany in the future
There was no discussion Of the league
at the dinner table The President sat
at one end, with Chairman Hitchcock,
of the Senate committee. at his righ,
and Chairman Flood, of the House COM
mittce, on his left. Mrs. Wilson SAT
. at the other end of the table, and dur
ing the meal there was purely informal
chatting up and down and across the
table.
Mrs. Wilson entered the dining room
. on the arm of Senator Lodge, of Massa-
chusetts. The Massachusetts Senator
sat at Mrs. Wilson's right during the
. dinner.
Even in the East Room after the
President faced friends, foes and neu-
trails, there was nothing that even
''smacked of sharpness, according to
most OF those present. There were
..~.many searching questions, particularly
by Senator Hrandegee, but the argu-
nlent was at no time acrimonious.
Silence Not Requested
The President made 1t clear that he
did not wish to bind his guests to
silence as to what he said, thus an
swering the objections expressed in
their refusals to attend made by SEN
ators Borah and Fall. He said he
n1arOl lv ricbo Cd c1o ~.
Nothing was said about the President
addressing Congress on the subject
Of the league, and there was no ref
crence to the naval bill. which con-
tains the provision placing entire dis
'cretion in the hands Of the President
as to whether construction of the ten
capital ships and ten scout cruisers
authorized shall be begun after June
80. 1920
The President carried out his prom
ise to go over the Constitution "section
by section" and explain the reasons for
the language. Some points, he said,
were put in to meet the situation in
the Balkans. He explained that France
had demanded the language with re-
gard to the reduction of ornaments,
specifying that they be determined in
accordance with geographical loca-
tions" and individual situations, be-
cause of her own exposed position"
No Signs of Conversions
Some Of those present commented
that the President quoted Lloyd George
three or four times, but never even re-
ferred to Premier Clemenceau of
France.
1t was not thought afterward that
the President converted any of those
present to his views, those who were
opposed when they went to the White
House indicating by their questions up
to the very last that they still enter
tanned their objections.
The President made it clear under
questioning that it was not the inten-
tion of the peace conference to admit
Germany to the league until she had
undergone "period of probation" If
Germany is not to be n member of
the league some Senators see insuper-
able difficulties in the Presidents
proposal to have both the league char
ter and the treaty OF peace a single
document. Germany as a signatory of
the peace treaty would be called upon
10 subscribe to the league of nations
II the league charter were incorporated
N the treaty, it is pointed out, and this
would not be in conformity with any
precedent in international law or diplo
macy.
Antiquities Admitted
81. is clear that the President rec
ognized under the questions presented
to him tonight" said one Republican
Z Senator. that the charter as it now
stands is far from being a sound legal
document
while the President did not ad-
nit that amendments would be posi-
q Bile, he did admit that there were one
- or two antiquities. My impression
on leaving the discussion with the
:. President was that the charter as it
now stands is loose and is far from
that perfection of language which ought
!. to characterize a document of the
r transcendent Importance of the league
- charter.
For example, the charter does not