New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1920-04-07
Vote ON Peace
Bill i'm House
Set for Friday
Fight Opens as Committee
Reports Measure; Rule
Is Adopted Limiting
Debate to Nine Hours
Democrats Attack Plan
Republicans Hold 1t Is Nee
essary, as Usual Treaty
Method Has Broken Down

From. The Tribunes Washington Bureau
WASHINGTON, April 6.-The fight
over the adoption by Congress of the
resolution declaring that peace exists
between the United States and Ger
many was opened in the House of Rep
resentatives to-day when Representa-
tive Porter of Pennsylvania, chairman
Of the Foreign Affairs Committee, filed
report urging passage of the meas
ure.
The peace resolution, if adopted by
Congress and signed by the President.
would have the same effect of ter
minating the state of war and ending
the operation Of wartime legislation
as ratification of the Versailles treaty
would have had, the report declared.
Republican members of the Foreign
! Affairs Committee. The Democratic
members tomorrow will file report
opposing the resolution on the ground
that it is unconstitutional.
The resolution will come up for de-
bate in the House on Thursday and
vote will be had on Friday. When
he reported the measure Repre- senta-
tive Porter brought in special rule
|
debate to nine hours.
Amendments Are Forbidden
Under the rule amendments to the
resolution will be prohibited. The Ad-
ministration forces to-day indicated
change the measure, and if they carry
out their plans the fight in the House
on Thursday and Friday will be for the
straight adoption or rejection of the
resolution.
The report urging adoption of the
resolution declared that the peace meas
ure was necessary since the usua
method Of establishing peace through
the negotiation. and ratification of
treaty had failed. The report stated:
"The armistice was signed November
II, 1918, nearly seventeen months ago
and while a treaty. of peace between
the imperial German government ant
the United States was signed at Yer
sailles on June 20, 1919 it has not beer
ratified by the Senate of the United
States but, on the contrary, it has beef
returned to the President after an ad
verse vote upon the question of it
method Of terminating the war statu
having thus failed of accomplishment
it becomes the plain duty Of Congress
to declare the admitted fact that tn
war is ended.
Defends It's Constitutionality
There has been a complete suspen
sion Of hostilities on both sides with
out any intention Of resumng then
Congress is clearly exercising power
which are within its constitutions
rights in recognizing and declarin
} that the war is at an end. AS, by tn
resolution of April 6, 1917, Congress
officially recognized the. fact that wa
had been thrust upon US, so now it be
), official recognition to the fact that tn
r war is ended. Moreover. the geners
e welfare Of the United States impers
lively demands that all uncertaint
upon this subject shall cease, and tha
1 the extraordinary war powers Of tn
= government shall be vacated and sc
q aside.
t THE laws comforting extraordinar
' powers upon the President for tn
force and effect, and constitutions
+ rights are still suspended Many {
these laws are extremely drastic, an
q could be justified only as war nece.
sites; but since the war has, in fac
. long since ceased, the justification fc
: these laws no longer exists.
r Effect on War Legislation
:. "The effect of this resolution on a
J.. Of the war legislation will be precisel
. the effect that the ratification and pro,
;. lamation of the treaty would have ha
5, Laws that were to be in force for tt
& period of the war would have cease
with the Presidents proclamation
under this resolution they will ceas
with the date Of its passage. On tt
other hand, laws that were to contint
r in effect for time after the ratificl
= ton and proclamation of the treaty
T. peace will continue in effect for II
l. specified time after the passage Of tn
n resolution. The resolution, therefor
u has no effect upon existing laws otht
e than the effect that the ratification ar
l. proclamation Of the treaty would ha,
re had"
IS During general discussion of the pc,
/ sion bill the Democrats opened the
attack upon the resolution by insis
T. ing that it is unconstitutional. The
~ declared that it was introduced for "
'e litical reasons only. Representa-,
J. Mason. Republican, Of Illinois, reptile
r by bitterly attacking the President
IS handling of the peace situation.
"The President is saying that 'yc
'r can't have pence ur.il it suits me ,
Sc Mr.. Mason said. "The peace treat
H. with the reservations was defeated