Evening star., 1919-03-13
PRESIDENT WANTS
LEAGUE DISCUSSED
Democratic Committeeman
Say He Favors Non-Parti-
san Mass Meetings.
SEEKS PEOPLES OPINION
BY DAVID LAWRENCE.

President Wilson wants the people
of the United States to hold mass meet
ings to discuss the league of nations:
any suggestion that he opposes full
discussion is, contrary to his wish.
That in Substance. is what some
democratic national committeeman
who happened to he in Washington
today said Mr.. Wilson told them at
the luncheon given at the White
House just before his departure for
France. Indeed. they say MIR VIII
son asked all the democratic national
committeeman to get in touch with
all the republican national commit
teemen throughout the country and.
cooperating with the state commit
tees of both political parties, hold
mass meetings to bring out public
opinion on The league of nations.
Awaited the President.
One of the Democratic committee
men declared that there had been no
publicity to the request heretofore
because IT was felt that the Presi-
'SiN GllouAn ma hf. PupltC any III
said or done at the conference with
the committeeman. Owing TO the
statements of opponents of the
league, some of them democrats, that
the President is opposed to any dis
cussion of changes in the league of
nations covenant,-~the democratic
committeeman who were in Wash
ington today said they felt impelied
under the circumstances 10 take the
responsibility for disclosing the
Presidents suggestion to them at
the recent conference.
If Mr. Wilson knew of the ca M
paign Of misrepresentation of his
wishes. these committeeman were
quite sure he would favor making
public his request- In brief. it IS
that in every state of the Union both
political parties shaiI arrange mass
meetings and should avoid as far as
possible any partisan lineup, getting
speakers pro and con from the demos
cratic as well as republican parties.
These meetings should be held un-
der the joint auspices of the demo-
cratic and republican national corn
niittees
One Republican Declines.
In the last week. therefore. invita-
tions have gone oat from individual
democratic national committeeman to
their republican collea CUES of the
-san me states. One OF the republican
national committeeman from a west
ern state already has declined the in
yitatioa in the following letter.
After considering your proposal OK
a meeting under joint auspices of the
democratic and republican national
committeeman to discuss the proposed
constitution of the proposed lea que
of nations I have decided that it is
a subject that ought not to be dealt
with in this manner. | cannot pre-
sumo to speak for the republicans OF
my state on this subject ! have no :
mandate from thea The questioa
has been discussed in the senate, IN
the press and on the platform by able
men all equally desIfous of abiding
peace and equally solicitous for the
welfare of the United States, and the
discussion viii continue.
.Our two senators have given the
matter close study ard / presume
that each viii discuss the matter be-
fore the people as occasion may arise.
We have had the benefit Of conven-
ton representing nine states. where
proponents OF tae lea que set forth
their views, which were adequately
reported in the newspapers. i pre-
sumo that critics of the proposed con-
stitution will show similar enterprise
and that the people of my state VIII
have ample opportunity TO hear tnat
side of the question
'tAll sides and phases ought to be
heard. / am not ready TO take part
in arranging Ii conference to present
only one side. and fear that 2 meeting
arranged to present both sides might
result in the generation of more heat
than light. IL is the most important
subject before the nation in all its
history, and its discussion, as 4 cons
sequence, should be as free from Bit
ierness as possible 1 feel that I
must decline your proposal.
Held as Political Stand.
The democratic committeeman in
ouestior, pointed TO the letter as an
evidence of republican disiucftnation
TO bury political differences Tor the 2
present while a subject as vital as the
league of nations Was before the coun- 5
try On the other hand. 1t is known
that many prominent business men IN
various parts oil The country are con-
tributing funds for the holding OF
mass meetings 10 support former
President Taft's position with respect
to the league OF nations.
Mr. Wilson himself declared on the
eve of his departure for France that
no political party could appropriate the
issue, and his friends say he sought to
have mass meetings arranged by the
national committees of both parties as
a step toward removing politlcaf bil-
terness and bringing out non-partisan
and genuine sentiment for or against +
a proposal that affects the foreign
policy of the United States in future
generations.
The signing of a final peace treaty
which viii incorporate the league or
nations covenant is not likely before
May The American delegation in the
meantime will be in the position to
press for amendments, according as
sentiment for changes becomes pro-
Already the discussion in
the Senate has indicated the direction
in which amendment is desired. and
immediately on President Wilson'S
arrival in France it is fully expected
that the manifestations of public wish
for amendment viii have their effect
in the embodiment of ertain modifi-
cations in the covenant
Copyright, 1919, by N. Y. Ereniug Post. lne-t
DENTAL FROM CHAMP CLARK.