The Washington herald., 1920-04-01
HOUSE TO TAKE
PEACE VOTE
MONDAY
Resolution Introduced by
Porter Yesterday De-
clares War at End.
BY ROBERT r. BARRY.

Republican leaders concluded yes
terday the preparation Of the reso-
luton recognizing the existence OF
a state of peace between the United
States and Germany, without rati-
fication of the treaty of Versailles.
The resolution was introduced by
Representative Porter. of Pennsyl-
vania, chairman of the Committee
on Foreign Affairs.
Political lines are drawn for a
fight The resolution will be .ap-
proved today by the Foreign Af-
fairs Committee. 1t will be re-
ported to the House by a party vote.
the Democrats on the committee 'op-
posing it. The Rules Committee
will report a special rule giving the
resolution a privileged parliamen-
tary status.
Special Order on Monday.
1t will provide that the measure
shall be made the special order Of
business on Monday. Mr.. Porter had
planned to have the vote on FRI
day. but at the request of Demo-
Gratis consented to a postponement
to Monday. ~.
The revolution undertakes to cir
cumyent the constitutional difhcul-
ties in the way of a Legislative
declaration OF a peace status: AL
though many Republicans are in
clined to believe the Porter resolu-
tion is unconstitutional and nearly
all of them are positive the Presi-
dent will veto It they will vote for
it as a party measure.
Democrats Oppose Measure.
Administration Democrats will op-
pose the resolution on the ground
that the organic law of the United
States reserves to the Executive the
exclusive power to terminate a war.
Consideration of this resolution con-
stitutes the most important political
clash between the Capitol and the
White House since the Republican
party obtained control of Congress,
this instance being the first that
involved the House as well as the
Senate.
Instead of repeating the declara-
tion of war. as originally sug-
gested, the Porter resolution pro-
posed a statutory recognition of the
existence of a state of peace. Au-
thority for such action is based
upon the Presidents formal declara-
tion in a message to Congress that
the war with Germany had ended.
In his message of November IL,
1918. announcing the conclusion of
the armistice, Mr.. Wilson used the
words, THE war thus comes to an
end
Veto Would BE Fatal.
Democratic leaders contend that
such a declaration by the President
did not constitute formal procla-
nation of the end of the war. and
that the Supreme Court of the Unit
ed States so held in it's decision on
wartime prohibition.
1t is not likely that the Porter
resolution or any similar measure
could command the two-thirds ma
jority in Congress necessary to pass
the resolution over an Executive
veto.
The Porter resolution is in effect
a rcdraft of the resolution offered in
the Senate by Senator Philander -.
Knox of Pennsylvania. 1t proposes
to force from Germany recognition
of clear title by the United States
to material rights and benefits ac-
cruing to this country in the treaty
of Versailles.
Provides Trade Resumption.
That portion OF the Knox reso)u-
tion establishing an International
policy as a substitute for the league
of nations covenant was omitted.
Public Ledger Seryice.)