New-York tribune., 1919-10-07
to
Vote Against
Amended Pact
Administration to Oppose
ratification if the Senate
Approves Reservations
That Are Objectionable
Nc.p Tore Tribune
WASHINGTON Bureau

WASHINGTON. Oct. 6-Administra-
tlon Senators to-day served unofficial
notice on the Republicans that if
amendments or reservations which
they do not approve are attached to
the peace treaty--a step they are un-
wiling 20 admit possible-the Demo
Gratis will unite to defeat ratification.
The object of the Democrats, led
by Senators Hitchcock and Under
wood is not. they insist, to defeat the
treaty finally, but to force indefinite
delay. The Administration leaders
take the position that if the Democrats
refuse to ratify, voting mo" on the
rollcall, the result would not be the
death of the treaty. but merely the
failure OF the resolution to ratify.
Approval of the treaty would still be
pending, they insist, and the next
move would be to propose some other
form of ratification resolution, lead
ing to a fight that would 20 on in
definitely until one side or the other
gave in.
The Republicans, however, say that
according to precedents. treaties which
failed to obtain a two-thirds vote when
they arrived at the final vote stage
were returned to the President with
notification that the treaty was not
agreed to. For instance, they point
to the vote, on May 5, 1897, on the
British arbitration treaty pending at
that time. The Senate voted, 43 to 26
in favor Of ratifying the treaty. This
was majority, but not a two-thirds
vote. Whereupon. with no intermediate
action disclosed by the record, the fol-
lowing occurs right after the rolloall
is printed:
SO, the resolution not having been
concurred in by two-thirds of the Sen
ators present, it was resolved that the
Senate do not advise and consent to
the ratification of the treaty" etc
Hitchcock Defends Point
Senator Hitchcock attention was
called to this tonight, but he insisted
he was right.
The Senate can only dispose of
treaty by "a two thirds VOTE" he de-
clared. "Forty-nine Senators cannot
force q reservation on the treaty, or
an amendment which, IL our opinion,
destroys it, and then force the ratiAca-
tion of the treaty. Nor does the fail
ure of q ratification resolution to re-
ceive a two-thirds vote dispose of the
treaty. This treaty Will be before the
Senate until it is ratified by two
thirds vote-whfch will happen If no
amendments or unsatisfactory reserva-
tions are adopted, or until it is in
definitely postponed by q two-thirds
vote"
After predicting that the adoption
of reservations was certain, although
the Johnson amendment giving the
United States an equal vote with .he
British Empire in the league assembly
is in doubt, Senator Penrosc said all
the "squabble about amendments and
reservations is but time wasting over
technicalities, as reservation will
show. the world just where the United
States stands toward the treaty and
the league of nations just as clearly as
an amendment would"
A general discussion Of the Massa-
chusetts Democratic and Republican
conventions, the New Jersey Demo
cratic convention, and the Alabama
election and their bearing on the
league of nations fight was INDUCED in
a. Wis iHOINluS session..
Senator Hitchcock read into the rec
ord long telegram he had received
from the California League to Enforce
Peace, declaring that Senator John
son had been repudiated by his own
state, SO far as his stand in opposi-
tion to the treaty was concerned.
A desire to lift the ban on wartime
prohibition is entering vigorously into
the treaty fight. 1t is no love for the
liquor dealers and no desire to pro-
tect the distillers, so far as can be
discovered, which is actuating some
Senator'S and high officials in this de-
sire, but a wish to save for the gov
ernment that $40O,000,OOO of revenue.
which could be obtained by permitting
the sale of liquor in bond, valued at
$780, 900.
Senator Penrose, for instance, chair
man of the Finance Committee, does
not wish to have any further taxes i'm
posed. He and Senator Watson, of Ind
iana. are taking the position, in discus
sions of the treaty with their col
leagues. that If the treaty can be dis
posed of by November l, the wartime
prohibition can be ended and the