New-York tribune., 1919-02-05
Hitchcock Defends Wilson
Against Borah's Attack
in Upper House Debate
Republicans Are Scored
Utterances of Opponents of
World Union Hamper the
President, Senator Ayers
Ne4o York Tribune
Wdshtft0fO Rnreou

Washington Bureau
WASHINGTON, Feb. At developed
to-day that no Senator has. been taken
into President Wilson's confidence as
to just what sort of league of nations
the President favors.
In a general debate to-day Senator
Borah launched another attack on the
league. Mr. Hitchcock later said op-
lonents of the plan were putting up
man of straw and knocking him down
They were attacking, he said. the plan
proposed by ex-Presdent Taft but their
attacks on the Taft plan were being
carried abroad ss attacks on the Presi-
dents plan.
Republican Senators Knox, Borah and
Poindexter demanded to know just
what the Presidents plan was. On
Mr.. Hitchcock's admission that he did
not know what it was. they asked if
he would approve any plan the Presi-
dent favored without knowing what it
was.
1--WE are slow in realizing the fact
are in the midst Of the scenes accom-
panying the birth of a new world" said
Senator Hitchcock. "When this war
began, of all great conquering empires
that the world had known with their
might and their dream of conquest,
only three remained Germany, Aus
tria and Russia. Where are they now?
With their Disappearance from the
world has disappeared the last lnger-
ing obstacle to international peace, per-
petuated by an international agreement.
Attacks Misinterpreted
"Shall this great republic hesitate to
back its president in the fight he is
now making in France to bring about
new era? These attacks are calcu-
lated in their result, if not designed in
their purpose, to hamper the President
by conveying to the Old World the
thought that America is opposed to his
effort. These attacks are all directed
against an imaginary league of nations
that is not seriously proposed, except
as a straw man to be knocked down
II cannot conceive, and no real
friend of the league of nations can
conceive, of the possibility that the
United States would enter into an
agreement the purpose of which is to
create great International Franken-
stein with army and navy so powerful
that it might destroy the United States.
] am very clear in my own mind that
the supreme force which will stand
back of the league of nations will not
be an army; it will not be navy; it
will not be a military power, but it
VIII be the great moral power of the
world.
Senator Poindextcr asked Senator
Hitchcock if he believed there was
"any issue between himself and any
force in the world?"
"oh, do not know" replied Mr..
Hitchcock, but what I am here repre-
senting and condemnng is the idea
that the Presidents efforts can be be-
Titled and nullifed by attacking some
thing which he is not seeking to bring
about"
What League Is Not To Be
Senator Knox remarked that it seer
talniy would not be the position of the
Senator from Nebraska that we do not
know what it is, but we are for it,"
THAT would hardly be proper at
tltude for body like this to assume"
commented Mr.. Knox
may not Know exactly what the
league is to be, but I know what it is
aot 10 be-" retorted Mr.. Hitchcock. at
is not to be the monster that Senators
on the other side cf the aisle are at
tackrg"
"Ihon why, pray, does the Senator
hnd fault with us?" demanded Mr..
HoTaf. We are not attacking any
hing the Senator siar&s FOR: We are
uet attackiog anything thc President
stards for, 20 Tar - We Nnow: but we
a'e attacAi'}g proposition which a
most d'stngpished member Of our
rartY es- nresidcat Taft) stands for
Does the Senator oaject to our fanliiv
quarrels 2"
''l have not AIRY doon i1tcreat in what
tho Senator terms his family quar-
rels," renlied Mr. II!tchcock. ehut