The New York herald., 1921-03-08
CONGRESS PREPARED.
TO DECLARE PEACE.
Senator Knox and Representa-
tive Porter Agree on
Course at Next Session.
New York Herald Bureau.
IL

washington, ID. e., March ..
All IS ready for prompt action on
resolution to establish separate peace
between the United States and Germany
at the extra session OF Congress
On the first day Congress convenes
on the call OF President Harding there
will be introduced in tine Senate by
Senator Knox (Pa.) and In the House
by Representative Porter (Pa.). chair
man Of the Committee on Foreign At
fairs. resolution declaring that state
Of peace exists between the two nations.
twill be in the identical form in which
ii was vetoed by President Wilson fol-
lowing its enactment in both branches
Of Congress by a large majority. II
failed to pass the House by the neces-
sary two-thirds after the Presidents
disapproval.
An agreement TO adopt that course
was reached to-day in a brief con-
ference by Senator Knox with Repre-
sentative Porter. 1t is understood the
idea meets approval of Senator Lodge
Republican Senate leader. and Repre-
sentative Mondell. Republican floor
leader Of the House.
The leaders fully expect President
Harding to ask for the enactment Of the
peace resolution in his annual message
to Congress. They base this belief on
utterances OF Mr.. Harding during his
campaign, in which he said in substance
that he would sign such a resolution
just as soon as it was presented TO him
by Congress.
An understanding on the form the
resolution would take was necessary for
the reason that in the last session the
House passed the resolution In one form
and the Senate amended 1t by striking
out everything after the enacting clause
and inserting the complete text of the
Knox resolution as 1t WAS reported to
the Senate by the Committee on Foreign
Relations. Tho House accepted the
Senate amendment, so the resolution was
presented to Mr.. Wilson in precisely the
form in which 1t was approved by the
Foreign Relations Committee and the
Senate.
Approval of the peace resolution by
the present Congress by an overwhelm-
Ing majority is certain. and of course
President Harding would sign 1t. The
last Congress favored such a resolution
by a large majority. but not quite large
enough to enact 1t over the veto of
President Wilson. Only a few votes
were lacking in the House for the neces-
sary two-thirds. In the Senate. where
closely divided. the resolution passed by
q vote of 40 to 3J
The President vetoed the measure late
in May, 1920. 1t was brought up on
May 28 by Representative Porter in an
attempt to approve 1t in spite OF the
veto. but could not command the neces-
sary two-thrds majority
No attempt has been made to take
further action since II seemed certain
that If II wree again presented to the
President he would veto II again.
Representative Porter expressed the
hope to-day that the resolution for
peace with Germany would be among
the first for President Harding to sign,
adding that ne would do everything in
his power to bring that about.
Senator Knox is known to be ready to
further every move for the approval OF
the resolution for which he made a fight
In the early session of Congress last
year