The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1919-12-27
Threaten Peace Treaty Revolt of
Both Republicans and Democrats
Mild Reservation Republicans
Serve Warning on Leader
Lodge Thirty-seven Dem
ocrats Ready to Accept
Best Terms TO Be Had

"ASHlNtTON. Dec. 6.-DiSSAt lSh"u
with the progress mad" toward solu-
tion OF tn" peace treaty lanEle. s"nat-
ors OF both political parties moved to-
day 10 bring greater preSsur" on their
party leaders for a compromise 10 in
sure ratification promptly on the re-
assembling OF congress early in Janu-
AIRY.
The mild reservation group Of R"pub-
lcans. notifying their party leader.
senator Lodge OF Massachusetts. that
in their opinion the time had come To
part company with the irr"concilablr
foes OF the treaty. declared that unless
compromise negotiations got more
wholC-h hearted support from the Rcpuh-
lican sid" they were preparing to act
Independently for an agreement with
the Democrats.
Among the Democrats tho movement
Was not so welt defined but criticism OF
the course OF President Wilson and
Senator Hitchcock. Nebraska, the act
ing Democratur leader. reached proper
tions OF which some predicted II soon
would b. given tangible form. One
prominent Democrat told the Rcpubll-
cans that more than thirty-s"v"n on
that sid" would join a movement to
ratify the treaty at once on tn" best
terms they could get.
Scrambled Situation.
The effect was scrambled situation
in both party organizations which tho
leaders seemed confident they could
straightcn out. but which the COM
promise advocates predicted would
greatly strengthen the movement for
hi-partisan cort"rcnc" OF thos" deter
mined TO ratity the treaty even at th"
expense Of material concessions on both
sides.
The feeling among thos" who ar"
ready 70 20 ahead without TIN l"hd-
crs seemed To h" that III" treaty dead
lock already had been prolonged an
necessarily by too much uO-Compr"mis"
talk and that both sides had over
played waiting gam" IN TIA" hog tha'
a break would com" IN tn" opposition.
After their confrr"uc" sur lay with
Senator Lodge tho mild reservation r.
publicanS seemed confident tina; ii"
would take tho initiatiSs II n"r"'SarT
in carrying thv c"mi.rumiSC negotiations
forward, on Monday n saw S"L.'"r
Underwood of Alabama. a pr"rn;n"nt
Democratic advocate OF compromiS'.
but i, was said today that thor 'alk
got nowhere.
JOHNSON hurrloS bacK'
Meanwhile il bccumc known that he
irrCCUncilahlc group Of Republicans had
been bringing pressure to bear 10 induce
tho party leader not TO consent I" any
compromise proposals which did not
mc"t their approval. Senator Johnson.
California. one Of the leaders OF This
group. tclccrnphcd today that Il" would
change his plans and return to tn"
capital from his hom" state next week.
In the Democratic ranks tho treaty
situation IL complicated by IN" contest
between Senators Hitchcock and Under
wood for Choic" as party leader. much
OF the talk for n bipartisan agreement
coming from IN" Underwood suppuS-
rrs The party caucus has been rall'b'
for January l. To- elect n leader. and IN
the meantime Republicans and Demo-
Gratis apparently ar" doubtful aS 10 who
can speak with authority on tn'' Demo
cratic Sit;v.
Attitude OF Leaders.
Senator Hitchcock repeatedly has DO
clarrd his Willingness To max" any
compromises that does not vitality harm
tn" treaty. but has Indicated that h"
Expects the next move to come from tn"
Republican side. Senator Lodg" ais"
has said ~ would not oppose a compro-
misc SO long aS tn" foreign relations
committee rcS rra,ions ar" not vitality
IMPAIRED. though he considers that the
next move is up to the Democrats.
II is with this situation that the hl-
partisan movement is calculated 70
deal its hackers declaring neither side
would stand upon formality. hnt should
earnestly try TO ratify al once. The
strength OF The movement could not be
estimated tonight. but il was suggest
ed that even if At could not muster tn"
ncccsSarr two-thirds TO ratify al first
il might got a majority which could
bring the treaty again before tho sem
ate and center public interest upon it
and upon such compromise reservations
as might Oc agreed to.
So the immediate compromise advo-
Gates predicted success for their enter
prise. Senator Hitchcock expressed con-
tidcncc that his own c"mpromis" plan
would win out Senator Lodge asserted
that the committee reservations would
be accepted without maCrial change ard
the irreconCilablrs declared thor" would
be no compromise at all.