The sun., 1919-10-31
PRECEDENT FOUND
FOR RESERVATIONS
Opponents Lose Chief Argu-
ment Against Measure Max
ing Treaty Safe.
DEMOCRATS IN QUANDARY
Responsibility for Failure Of
Ratification Placed on Ad-
ministration Leaders.
specsa, Despatch 70 rnn svs

WASHINGTON, Oct. 3o.--The bugbear
Of 'sendlng the peace treaty back to the
Paris conferences" because OF modifica-
tions, which has been exploited by Ad-
rninistration leaders as the supreme
argument against any sort Of changes.
has been exploded Parliamentary ex-
herts among the Republicans to-day an
Bounced that precedent has been found
which completely covers the case. BY a
grim circumstance this precedent was
Established only two years ago. and
most OF the Senators now loudest In OPP
posing any plan that would send the
treaty back acquiesced in fixing 1t.
In the instance of the treats with
Denmark for the cession Of the Virgin
Islands the SEM appended to its reso-
luton of ratifi.s..o a reservation deal
ing with the church funds of the islands.
In order that there might be no uncer-
tainty the rekolution of ratification spe-
cifcaIly stated that this American un-
Outstanding was to be the subject Of an
Interchange of notes between the Amer
lean and Danish Governments. This was
accepted by Denmark. the notes were
Unchanged. the treaty did not have to
~ back. and the ratification stood.
IN Sec . Complete Parallel.
.fhe parallel to the present case Is
complete. the reservationists' leaders
ny The committee reservations, now
epproved by the Senate. include the
browse that the treaty shall not be
bnective as to the United States until
Me reservations have been affirmatively
accepted by three Of four principal
allied and associated Powers--Great
Britain. France, Italy and Japan.
1t has been contended by the Admin
iBtration Senators that this would COM
pei the treaty to go back to the peace
conference. 1t will not the three Pow
ers can signify their acceptance of the
reservations by exchange OF notes. ex-
actly as in the case of the Danish
treaty. This action required but few
weeks. in the Danish case. and then the
treaty was put into effect by Presiden-
tial proclamation. BY this analogy, II
would be matter Of no Inconvenience
and small delay to have the reservations
ph the present case approved by the
three nations, through exchanges OF
hotes.
With all the searching of records and
sagerness of all sides to discover prece-
dents. this Danish case had been err
tirely overlooked even by, the Snators
who participated In that action. It'was
discovered to-day. and promptly an
bounced.
Opponents Face Embarrassment.
The peace treaty Is now nearing the
stage where the reservation programme
must be taken up. The last amendments
will be disposed of. it Is expected. by
The middle Of next week. Here the
Administration forces face a great en-
barrassment. They have declared that
they can never accept the Lodge reserva-
lions, and yet they know Senator Lodge
has the votes to adopt them. On the
pther hand, the Democrats, while realiz-
ing that the reservations would be
adopted by a comfortable majority be-
Nsve they have the power to block the
sssolution of ratification, embodying the
reservations. because 1t requires two
thirds vote for this resolution.
It has been suggested as the Demo
cratic plan to defeat the resolution OF
ratification by a combination OF Demo
Gratis opposed to the reservations and
the twenty known irreconcilabies. After
that a trying parliamentary question
would arise. "'vTould the treaty DO there
fore rejected because the ratification
resolution had failed?" Is the embarrass-
ing question Or, would II be merely
the resolution, not the treaty. that wal
rejected?
The Democratic leaders have been In
sisting that only the resolution would be
defeated, and that the treaty would still
be alive and before the Senate. subject Il