Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1919-11-28
Treaty and Covenant of League
Killed for Present by the Ac-
ton of the Senate.
BOTH SIDES DISOWN BLAME
Ratification With Modified Reserva-
lions May Come at Next Session
Efforts to Avert Coal Shortage
Characterization VIII
son Summons New In
dustrIal Confer
BY EDWARD w. PIcKARD.

The treaty with Germany, lncluQlng
the covenant Of the League Of Nations,
is dead for the present so far as the
United States is concerned. Everyone
knows that, but opinions as to who
killed it differ irreconcilably.
The lethal dose administered to the
pact in the senate was compounded Of
stubbornness, desire for revenge, per-
sonal pride, partisanship and desire
to protect America against the more
or less imaginary plots Of foreign ma
lions. Who contributed these various
elements the reader can tell as well as
the writer.
The firmness of the president and
his most ardent supporters lasted just
a little too long. Otherwise a compro-
mise might have been reached which
would have been measurably satisfac-
tory to all except a few irreconcilables
sc few that they would have been
showed under. But when Senator
Hitchcock took to Mr.. Wilson in his
sick room the news that Senator Lodge
and his followers had adopted the COM
mittee list of reservations, the presi-
dent declared he would pigeonhole the
treaty If it were ratified in that shape,
and asked the Democratic senators to
vote solidly against the ratification.
He gave no hint that he would accept
any compromise, and the Republicans,
with the few Democrats who had stood
with them all through the fight, there
upon brought the matter to a final vote
at once.
For four and a half hours there were
roll calls and parliamentary maneuv-
ers in the course of which Hitchcock
vainly tried to get a vote on a mild
reservation resolution, but the Repub-
licans were too angry to listen to him.
Twice the senate voted on the Lodge
resolution of ratification with reserva-
lions and twice it was defeated, the
first time by 80 to IS and the second
time by Al to 81. Between these roll
calls a vote was taken on Underwood:
resolution for unqualified ratification
This was beaten, 38 to SO. On the
Lodge resolution 10 Republicans voted
in the negative both times. These sen
ators had declared themselves against
the treaty and league unreservedly
The mild reservation Republicans
could have been captured for a com.
promise if Mr.. Wilson and Senate,
Hitchcock had started on that line
earlier, but as 1t was Lodge was able
to hold them in line throughout.
While the treaty is admittedly dead
1t may be brought to life at the regu
lar session which begins Monday, De
cember 1. If President Wilson re-sub
mits 1t to the senate and shows a dis
position to accept modified reserva
lions, 1t is not unlikely that it will b,
ratified in such a way that the othel
powers will acQuiesce. The alterna
tive before the senate will be adoption
of the resolution introduced by Sen
ator Lodge just before a~djournmen
Wednesday night and referred to tn,
committee on foreign relations with
out debate. This declares the stat,
OF war between the United States AM
Germany to be at an end. 1t require
the concurrence of the house but, &C
cording to general practice, no actor
by the president follows.
Senator Borah, one of the irreconcil
ables, who wants to keep the Unitet
States wholly aloof from the affairs o
the rest of the world, predicts that tn,
treaty. with the league covenant includ
ed, and with the Lodge reservation
somewhat modified, will ultimately b.
ratified. According to Mr.. Hitchcock
many of the reservations are objection