New-York tribune. [volume], May 02, 1919, Page 11, Image 11

About New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924

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No Party Issue,
Say Senators
Of the League
Johnson. Borah and Others
Oppose Being Bound by
Conference Proposed by
Lodge; Take Own Stand
Progressives in Revolt
Westerners Insist Matter .Is
Too Important To Be
Decided by One Side
Nexo York Tribune
Washington Bureau
WASHINGTON', May 1.?A group of
Republican Senators, led by Senator
Johnson of California and Senator
Horah of Idaho, have taken exception
to the message sent out to Republican
Senator? bv Senators Curtis and Lodge,
counselling against "final expressions"
on the legue of nations covenant until
there was "opportunity for conference,"
and have replied to the party leaders
that they will not be bound by any
caucus action on the covenant.
The revolting leaders insist in their
statements that the league is too im?
portant a public matter to be involved
in partisan politics.
In answer to this, Senator Lodge in
i statement to-day said that the cove
nant was not a partisan matter, and
thai no party action would be taken on
it, but declared that his message to
Republican Senators was designed to
discourage hasty commitments on the
covenants before tito full significance
of some contested provisions of the re?
vised draft had been studied by com?
petent international authorities.
Denies Frantic Efforts
Senator Curtis, the Republican whip,
affirmed Senator Lodge's statement,
and denied the reports said to eminate
from Democratic quarters that the Re?
publican organization was making fran?
tic efforts through conferences here
and in New York to formulate a def?
inite policy of opposition to the league
covenant. Senator Lodge also denied
this report, saying that no conferences
had been or would be held.
"It's a matter of every man for him?
self on the covenant," said Senator
Johnson to-day. "Any man who is in?
capable of reaching a decision in this
matter for himself is unfit to hold pub?
lic office."
This view was also expressed to-day
with varying degrees of emphasis by
.Senators McNary of Oregon, who has
declared in favor of the revised cov?
enant; Jones of Washington, Norris of
Nebraska, and McCormick of Illinois.
McCormick States Views
In answer to a question regarding
his attitude toward the revised cov?
enant, Senator McCormick said:
"In deference to the request of
Senator Curtis and Senator Lodge, I
do not want to speak in final judgment
upon the amended covenant, but I feel
free to say that in its present form
it is rather a guarantee of empire than
a league to enforce peace. It is a
triumph for Mr. Lloyd George. The
phrase maker of the king is a better ne?
gotiator than the king of the phrase
makers."
Senator McCormick's statement, in
which, after paying formal "deference
to the request of Senator Curtis and
Senator Lodge," he states himself with
a definiteness which denies the request,
is a fair sample of the attitude which
many Republican Senators will take
if there is any attempt at caucus ac?
tion on the covenant. It is probable
that the so-called progressive group of
Republicans will, w.ithin the next week,
propose to Senator Lodge the desir?
ability of organizing a Republican
steering committee at the earliest pos?
sible time.
Cannot Defer to Lodge
Tr. the Senate there is a growing
sentiment that the party cannot af?
ford to defer entirely to the pro?
nouncement, of the conservative group
in which Senator Lodge is counted,
although it is admitted that the Mass?
achusetts Senator cannot be classed
without reservation in the Penrose
bchool of conservatism.
In consequence there will be a move
to place on the proposed steering com?
mittee such men as Borah of Idaho,
Lenroot of Wisconsin, Johnson of Cali?
fornia and Poindexter of Washington.
The latter may be selected as president
pro tern of the Senate if he will become
a candidate.
One of the Progressive Senators de?
clared to-day that Senator Poindexter
should be elected to this office to com?
pensate for the present dominant con?
trol of the East in the Senate through
the leadership of Lodge and the in?
fluence of Senate action exercised by
such men ag Penrose, Knox and Bran
degee.
Senator Lodge to-day denied widely
circulated reports that he had con?
ferred with Llihu Root and other
party leaders in New York regarding
the league.
"I have not set foot out of Wash?
ington since I returned here,'* said
Senator Lodge. "There are enough con?
ferences here."
He added that no such conferences
are contemplated and that he would
remain in Washington.
No Binding of Party
Senator Curtis made this statement:
"There has been no conference of
Republicans on binding the party one
way or the other on the league of na?
tions. There is a general feeling
among Republicans here that Senators
should refrain from passing an opin?
ion upon the covenant until they know
Juit what it contains, and they won't
Know until it has been presented to the
Seriate for action.
"The Lodge telegram was sent after
considerate a number of Sen?
ator? her..: in Washington, because it
was believed to be a better plan for
the Senators not to express them?
selves on th<: proposition, as it had not
been studied and the amendments sug?
gested not verified. There, have been
already statement? a- to what amend?
ment!! have been agreed to, but there
has been no authentic statement re?
garding them made."
Republican Leaders
Call S en al Poll
On League Valueless
Veta Yori? Tribut':
Waihinaioa Bureau
WASHINGTON, May I. The poll of
the Senate on the league of nations,
made public here yesterday by the
League to Enforce Peace, which
claimed ? i'A Senators for the league,
12 opposed and '?') ?till in doubt, was
declared to-day by Republican leaders
V> be "inaccurate and valueless an a
forecast of the action <>f the Senate
on the revised covenant."
Although Senator Lodge and other
??publicans prominent in the parly
eottncU* declined to point out specific
inaccuracies in the poll, they declared
that many Senator/, recorded in favor
of the league would vote ?gainst
Recepta?*? o? the new covenant m
??amended form, and that a number
*f 'tit. ?>?. !.,U,r, ,,,,?,',.,| ;,, ",J?.|Ufll!"
were similarly opposed to ratification I
of the new covenant without amend- j
monts. I
The poll was characterized by some !
Senators as propaganda intended to
"smoke out" Senators and compel an
early commitment on the covenant pro?
posal. In this connection a letter cir?
culated by the League to Enforce Peace
was exhibited by Senators, in which it
is definitely admitted that an organ
?zed propaganda on behalf of the j
league is under way. This letter, signed
by Tom Jones Mack, extension director
of the League to Enforce Peace, and
apparently sent broadcost, reads in
' part as follows:
"Wo write to ask you to join forces
with us in informing and educating the
people of our country with regard to
the new concept of world order em?
bodied in the league of nations ideal.
"A great deal of misunderstanding
with regard to the plan, purposes and
! practicability of the league of na
| tions still, exists. Not only for the
; present establishment of the league,
I but for the future success of its work
: ings, this must be cleared away. A
1 nationwide organization, working with
i all Chambers of Commerce, Rotary
j and women's clubs, and argicultural
I and labor bodies, has been created. Al
I ready a large number of volunteer
? speakers have been enrolled to present
? the message."
Root Advises
Brewers They
May Lose Case
-
! Court May Not Uphold
Opinion, but You Can
Expect Leniency if
Defeated, He Declares
BOSTON, Mass., May 1.?All Massa?
chusetts brewers to-day received from
i Elihu Root and William D. Guthvie the
' following opinion as to their legal
: status under war prohibition:
"As it is impossible to obtain a de
! cisi?n before May 1, when the act of
j November 21, 1918, goes into force
and effect, we deem it proper to point
out that our opinion may not be con
i firmed by the courts, and that the in?
terpretation of the government may he
'? held to be enforcible as to the inten
; tion of the law.
"In such event, our opinion would
! not, of course, prevent legal proceed
? ings against the brewers or procure
I immunity for acts done prior to the
j decision of the courts.
"The opinion of counsel, if acted and
relied on in good faith by the brew?
ers, pending an application to the
courts for authoritative interpretation
I of the law, undoubtedly would be taken
j into consideration by the judges, par?
ticularly in view of the irreperable
j damages the brewers would sustain if
they now discontinue brewing and
broke up their organizations, and the
question of statutory interpretation
I were then finally decided by the courts
I in their favor, as we are of the opin
I ion should be the outcome of the pencB"
j ing litigation."
Brewers of State
To Continue Making
2.75 Per Cent Beer
R. J. Schaefer, president of the New
: York State Brewers' Association, in a
i fermai statement last night said that
! the brewers in New York will continue !
| to brew beer containing alcohol not in |
I excess of 2.75 per cent in the belief j
I that in so doing there is no violation :
of law.
"The brewers of the state believe the :
war prohibition act is an illegal and un- I
constitutional exercise of authority by
Congress. They are fortified in this i
i belief by the opinion of their special |
i counsel, Messrs. Root and Guthrie,"
? said Mr. Schaefer.
"Even were the act held as valid it
would not operate against a non-intox
' icating malt beverage. The brewers
hold there is no authority vested in the
Commissioner of Internal Revenue or
elsewhere to define beer containing al
j cohol not to exceed 2.75 per. cent as
intoxicating, nor to prohibit its :ntn
! ufacture.
"The brewers do not take this stand
i with the intention or in the spirit of
! defying or violating the law, but with
the assumption that they are acting!
clearly within their rights, which they j
have every reason to believe will be !
sustained by pending litigation.''
Wayne B. Wheeler, general counsel !
to the Anti-Saloon League of America, j
yesterday advised William H. Ander- I
son, State Superintendent of the New
York State league, that he has been |
notified by telegram that the Supreme
Court of Oregon, by unanimous deci?
sion, has decided that a state referen
I dum on ratification of the prohibition
amendment to the Constitution of the
United States is unconstitutional.
"This unanimous decision by the
| highest court in Oregon in one of the !
pioneer referendum states, that the"!
! Federal Constitution precludes pos- !
| sibility of a referendum on an amend- |
j ment, is the death blow to the liquor j
hope," said Mr. Anderson.
"The only way in which the brewers i
can defeat, or overcome, or abrogate. I
the Eighteenth Amendment is to pro- j
cure the submission and ratification of j
one which repeals it, and on that basis i
we are prepared to meet them." '
All of the local breweries, so far as
heard from, yesterday were making ]
beer as usual, with the exception of |
the Enterprise Brewery, of Ridgewood.;
Peter B. Hanson, counsel for the En
I terprise company, said that in his
j judgment the Federal law prohibits!
j the brewing of near-beer, and he said :
the Enterprise would remain closed I
i until the Federal authorities had de-1
1 cided whether 2.75 per cent beer may j
j be brewed under the law.
! 6,000 Men Out of Work as
i Milwaukee Breweries Close \
MILWAUKEE, Wis., May 1.?Nearly I
6,000 men were thrown out of work in i
Milwaukee breweries when the famous
! big plants which gave Milwaukee a
reputation as America's premier beer |
| city were closed by the Federal prohi?
bition law.
The breweries have been working for i
some time past on near beer, and rO
' cently resumed the manufacture of
! 2.75 per cent beer under the New York
tent case which is now pending. When
; orders were received from Washing
! ton, however, to stop brewing, and
? when the State Dairy and Food Com?
missioner ordered the brewing of near
beer alito ?topped, the breweries de- j
I cided to quit.
! Cleveland Labor Federation
Demand? Burleson Resign |
CLEVELAND, May LA resolution
demanding the resignation of Post?
master General Burleson was adopted
last night by the Cleveland Federation
Of Labor. A copy wns sent to Mr.
Burleson.
Other resolutions adopted call for'
the withdrawal of American troops j
from Ruts!? and a return to central ?
time in <"[?vel?nd.
i
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