New-York tribune., 1919-12-31
Minority Leader Says He
Will S'Take a Chance''
That President Will
Approve Treaty Truce
Democrats Called
In Council Tonight
Program Devised by
Lodge and Pomerene To
BeConsidered atMeeting
By Carter Field
NeW York Tribune

W A''iAA w Wv, Zee. oU.-uaIf q
dozen moves to-day apparently
brought ratification of the peace
treaty nearer. Senator Hitchcock,
Administration leader, announced
ne would "take a long chance" that
President Wilson would approve a
compromise, indicating that he (Mr.
Hitchcock would go much farther
toward accepting the spirit of the
Lodge reservations than he hitherto
had intended.
The Nebraska Senator then called
"a meeting of the Democratic men,
bers of the Foreign Relations Com
mlttee, with the exception of Sena-
tor Shields, for tomorrow night at
his house. This meeting will dis
cuss any compromise set of reserva-
tons chat may be worked out to-
morrow between Senator Lodge, rep
resenting the Republican reserva-
tlonlsts, and Senator Pomerene, of
the Administration camp.
The Lodge-Pomcrene conference
was to have taken place to-day, but
Mr.. Pomerene was so busy with the
rallroad bill that his meeting with
Senator Lodge had to be postponed.
Hitchcock S Move Deprecated
The mild reservationst" Senators
who are responsible for the conference
between Senators Lodge and Pomerene
We're little disturbed tonight at the
Information that Senator Hitchcock had
called the meeting of Democratic mem
bers of the Foreign Relations Commit
tee to go over the Lodge Pomerene
compromise, if there is one They
fear very much that this meeting will
prove Il stumbling block rather than a
help.
at seems to me- said one Of this
group, that Mir Hitchcock is going our
of his way to Interfere, when by stand
ing back for awhile he could facilitate
a compromise. This move of inviting
Senator Pcmercne to confer with SEN
ator Lodge was initiated by us. Sen
ator Lenroot made the arrangements.
The idea was for some Democrat other
than either of the contestants for the
Democratic rship-Underwoo and
Hitchcock-to work out d compromise
with the Republicans. and then get
enough Democratic backing to put it
through. Now Mr. Hitchcock has ar
ranged to throw the compromise, if
there as one. back into his own hands
AS his obstinacy has been blocking rati-
ticatlon for some time, that action does
not inspire me with much confidence"
1t was to meet just such objections
apparently. that Senator Hitchcock took
such a conciliatory attitude to-day.
Risk Claimed for Democrats
II Will take long chance on the
President accepting whatever compro-
mise reservations we can work out, ~
said Senator Hitchcock. in working
out a compromise we, of course are
taking all the chances. The Republic
cans are not taking any. We are the
only ones who would be embarrassed
if the President would not denosit thc
ratification OF the treaty after the
Senate had ratified it,"
Senator Lodge will 60 to the Capitol
tomorrow for the conference with
to undertake the task of lining up
enough Democratic Senators to ac-
cept whatever notifications of the
reservations Senator Lodge will agree
to at the conference in order to secure
the sixty-four votes required for rati-
icatiOn.
Democratic members of the Foreign
Relations Committee invited to meet
at Senator Hitclfcock's home to-mor-
row night are. in addition to Mr.
Hitchcock. Senators Swanson, Pittman.
williams ana Pcmcrenc. Senator
Smith. OF Arizona, is out of the city
other Democratic member OF the COM
mittee, was not asked to be present
He broke away from his party associ-
ates in the treaty FIGHT, supporting the
Lodge reservations and several textual
amendments when the treaty was be-
fore the Senate last month.
Senator McNary, Of Oregon, leader of
the mild reservationists,' served no
tice on the Administration leader that
unless he submitted definite pro
posal for a compromise or took some
definite steps toward securing rati-
fication Immediately after Congress re-
ervationists" would support a move
to be made by Senator Underwood, of
Alabama, to have a committee on con-
ciiation appointed by the Senate to
work out ;rn agreement
Senators Hitchcock and McNary
talked together for an hour and a half
Senator Swanson. of Virginia. was
present during part of the conference
$ senator Hitchcock later talked with
Senator Kenyon. Republican, of Iowa
~ the conclusion o. the conference
Senator McNary said that Senate,
Underwood, who is opposing Senator
Hitchcock for the position of Demo
cratic leader. will call up his resolu-
tion providing for the appointment OF
Cancellation committee of ten Sena-
tors on January 5, when the Senate
meets again
81 look for some developments
within the next few days that will
make an agreement possible" said the
Senator.