Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1922-01-12
CHAPTER XIV
(COntinueO {


Shortly after the conference, Sen
tor Stone, chairman of the com
1ittee on foreign rioleations OF tn
enate, asked for an appointment
nth the president, to confer witt
i'm on the next morning, Februar.
5, regarding the McLemore reso
1tion. I suggested to the presiden
hat ipasmuch as Senator stone wa
, see him in the morning it woul'
e wise and prudent if in answer t
is letter asking for an appointment
he president should frankly stat
is views with reference to the. Pre-
osed resolution. The president act
d upon this suggestion and the lei
ar was Immediately dispatched u
enator Stone.
NV letter to the president advis
1g him Of the situation, was a
blows:
The White House, Washington,
February "a, 1915.
Dear Governor:
What I have heard since leav-
ing YOU this morning confirms
me in my belief that now Is the
time Cbefore the night passesl
to set forth your position to the
country on the McLemore res
oIution in terms that no one
can misunderstood. In the last
hour I have talked with Speak.
err Clark, Senator Pittman ana
Mr.. Sims, of Tennessee, ana
have received impressions from
them which lead me to con
clude: First, that the consloera-
ton of this resolution cahilol
much longer be postponeo' as
Speaker Clark so informed me-
although Congressman Dorehlus
and Senator Pittman say !ne
situation on the hill is quletlhs
down, 7 am more than con-
WINGED that underlying this reso-
tuition is a purpose to dlscreolt
your leadership, for the FORCES
that are lined up for this tignr
are the anti-preparedness crowd
the Brvan-Kitchen-Clark group
and some of, the anti-Brlusn
senators like Noke S1nlth an"
Gore. Therefore I cannot ursS
YOU too stronglN at once 10 SEM
an identic letter to both KEEP.
resentative Flood, chairman OIL
the foreign relations commlttee
of the house, and Senator otole,
chairman of the foreign relations
committee of the senate. Inc
letter. in my opinion, should en-
hodv the following ideas:
TumuIty's Suggestion
First, explain in the frankesl
fashion just what secretary
lansing attempted to OBTAIN
when he suggested to the en-
tente nations an agreement OH
the arming of merchantmen
how this government was ~
formed by Germany OF her IN
tention to destroy armed mer-
chantmen without giving the
passengers a moment OF "aln-
ing. and how, in order to staVe
off such a contingency, we trled
az the friend and in the 1nterese
of humanity to get an agreeilleiis
between both sides that Wouiu
bring submarine warfare Wlthlh
the hounds of international Jaw.
Second, explain that a posslpie
adjustment of this matter Is III
process of negotiation rlgnt now
and that, of course, while we can
NOT change international law
mon our own initiative, we are
still of the hope that some gem
eral agreement among. the oeI-
lieerents may eventually be oo-
tanned. Explain how embarrass-
ing such a resolution as the NC
Lemore one will be to nesolla-
tions now being threshed out
between the executive branches
of the government charged WIN
the conduct of foreign relations
and foreign governments.
Third. then say that in the ao-
sence of any general agreemenC,
fine United States cannot ylelo
one inch of her rights without oe'
stroying the whole fabric OF IN
ternational law, for in the last
ANALYSIS this is what is involved.
To yield one right today means
another tomorrow. we cahoe
know where this process OF
Welding on the ground OF con,
venience OF expediency may LEAD
US. These laws are the products
of centuries. Our forefathers
fought to establish their validity,
and we cannot afford for the
sake of convenience, when our
very life is threatened, to aban-
don them on any ground OF con-
venience or expediency.
Fourth, to pass such a resolu-
ton at this time would seriously
embarrass the department or
state and the executive in tine
conduct of these most delicate
matters at a time when every
thing is being done to bring
about peaceful solution of these
problems
Fifth, might you not diplo-
matically suggest, in your letter
to Senator Stone, that to pass
favorably upon a resolution OF
this kind at this time would be
showing lack of confidence in
the government, and particularly
in it's chief executive?
The morning papers have out
lined the details of. the opposition
among the Democrats. The aft
ernoon papers are repeating the
same thing with emphasis on the
fact that Joe Cannon, Jim Mann
and Lodge are going to support
you. I would suggest that you
insert the following in your let
ter to Senator Stone:
think that not only would
such vote on this resolution be
construed as a lack Of confidence
in the executive branch of the
government in this most delicate
matter, but if the division contin-
ues, as l am informed, within
the ranks Of the Democratic par.
ty, it will be difficult for me to
consider that the majority party
speaks the will of the nation in