The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1912-01-12
TREATIES
PROGRESS
Senator Lodge and Secretary
Knox Make Terms
HOUSE DEBATES PETTY AFFAIR
Result of Kansas Election Dims Re-
publican Prospects of a Major
ity in the Next
House.
HOUSE DEBATES PETTY AFFAIR

Washington, Jan. l2.-The arbitration
treaties are making progress An I'M
derstanding has been reached with ref
erence to their ratification between the
opponents in the Senate, as represent
ed by Senator Lodge, and the admin
istration, represented by Secretary Knox.
Both men have been in conference over
the situation, and to-day Senator Lodge
is to offer in the Senate resolution
or ratification which has the consent
OF Secretary Knox. In this, it is de-
elared, Senator Lodge says that the
treaty-making powers OF the Senate
are in no wise to be considered in the
least curtailed by these treaties, and
that it is expressed and understood
that matters in dispute between the
United States and Great Britain and
France shall not be sent to arbitra-
tIon until assent shall first be given
thereto by the Senate, even though the
iusticiabiltv of the question in dispute
shall have been referred to the proposed
high commission and declared arbitrable
by that body.
Thus the Senate will have the last
word. Senator Lodge says that he would
have preferred to see article 3 of the
treaties entirely stricken out, but that
he is satisfied with the resolution he
Il to offer, and to which the depart
ment OF state has given assent. It has
been charged that the senator has backed
down, but he says he has not 1t has
been the contention of the state depart
ment that, in the making of special
agreements for arbitration of disputed
point the Senate would have the last
word as to whether the question was
arbitrable, but the senators have not
been satisfied with the language on this
score, and the Lodge resolution, it is
declared, will make this explicitly def
mite.
Senator Lodge hopes his resolution win
be acceptable to the Senate. Thus sup
ported he is willing to lend all his ac-
tivities to secure the ratification of the
treaties. Indeed he win assume the
leadership in order to push them to the
earliest ratification. He believes the
present il the best time for doing so,
since the Senate has practically no bus
mess before IL. furthermore the senator
does not think the foreign affairs of
this country and the dignity Of the land
are at all helped by any protracted dis
public. II is understood that some
Democratic senators are still holding out
against ratification of the treaties with
out serious amendment.
Prospects that the next House will
be Republican are not thought to look
so bright as a result Of the Kansas
election Tuesday, In which a Demo
crat won in strong Republican dis
trict 1t had been feared that the pro-
gressives would refuse TO vote for
stalwart candidate who had been NOM
mated in revenge for the refusal Of the
stalwarts TO vote for a progressive at
an earlier Kansas congressional election.
With the party thus voting, it is held
that nothing but Democrats can be elect
ed even in strong Republican districts.
The Democratic plurality in both cases
has been the same. about 1900.
Varying views are expressed regard
ing the effect OF the Lodge resolution.
Men like Senator BoTah, who have tax.
en- the Lodge point of view as expressed
heretofore, said that in accepting the
resolution the administration had COM
pletely backed down, yielding to the
contention of the Senate that IL must
be permitted to participate in the de-
cision on the iusticiabilitv of questions
to be submitted for arbitration. I'M
partial judges were inclined to hold to
the same view. 1t was said that the
scope of the treaties had seemingly been
materially altered, although it was still
true that time would be gained in dis
crssion and that is an element pre-
tentative of war. The president has
said that rather than submit to accent
ing the views of the opponents of his
treaties. he would prefer to see them fall.
It would seem that he has decided to
yield to save the treaties. even If some
what emaseulated in essential parts.
Developments are now eagerly awaited.