Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1919-10-01
The Senatorial Doctors.


The caekling that some senator's have BEEN
doing over the landing Of an American force
at Tra1 forces the conclusion that they do not
realize that this country is still nominaIIy at
war and win remain 50 till the treaty Of peace
is ratified In the absence Of any other pos
sfb4e arrangement for the preservation OF or
der and for carving out the will OF the Vie
tors IN the struggle, as Senator Hitchcock has
pointed out, it vas necessary to put the mat
Ger In the hands OF allied commanders as
signed to certain districts and give them power
to act within certain limits as Judgment die
tates-
Traa and trouble with the native troops there
was imminent, and so the Americans were
landed to prevent bloodshed, which they did
The act was not one OF war against Italy
by the United States, as some OF these palp4-
tating patriots at Washington would like to
have people believe for the Americans were
acting az part OF the allied forces to execute
the allied will ard !tsly itself is bound by its
vows and O. ,s oIficially back up the
marines.
Senator Hitchcock spoke some plain truths
IN the discussion OF the resolution calling for
information about the Trau incident yesterday
when he said:
We are making no objection to the
passage of this resolution What we are
objecting to is the everlasting disposition
here to prod and annoy an administra-
ton that is doing the best it can to con-
clude the war and reach a settlement Of
peace.
1 know senator's On the other side OF
the aisle cannot sympathiEe with this dis
position. I know that while they want
all possible light and information they
are not sympathetic with the disposition
to be constantly heckling and attacking
the president OF the United States in the
administration OF his duty. Congress,
by magnificent spectacle of patriotism
placed in the hands OF the president
practically the unlimited resources Of the
Omitted States to fight the war to a sue
cessfuI conclusion. It gave him these
enormous powers abroad in addition to
those at home. Is the senate not content
to permit the exercise Of these powers
in the discretion of the president till
conclusion has been reached?
It is true an armistice was reached
on Nov. II, but all Europe since that time
has been in upheaval Senators know
the dubious problems over there. They
know of the terrible problem OF the Dali
matian coast. They know that Italy is
confronted practically with insurrection.
Do they want the situation thrown into
still worse confusion?
The nations have practically agreed
upon a settlement of the Dalmatian
question and Italy is restrained only by
a threatened revolution. 1t is as neces-r
sary to have naval forces on the Balma-
tan coast as it is to have military forces
on the Rhine. The senate has nothing to
do with these matters 1t is the presi-
dent and he alone who can handle these
questions.
The president is compelled to cooper
ate with the other nations as created
with him. When the supreme council
acts the president acts. We are in no
position to call him to account for what
he does.
In the present situation we ought to
act on this treaty. say act, and l mean
act on it, even il what We do goes
against what believe ought to be done.
We ought not to sit here day after day
postponing its consideration as long as
possible until 2 O'Clock. We ought to
meet here every morning and take up
the treaty and when we reach an amend
ment we ought to discuss that amend
ment and not something else. While the
FAN amendments have been before the