Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1919-07-11
PRESIDENT NOT To
LIFT LIQUOR BAN;
SEES PACT VICTORY
Wilson "Turns Over New
Leaf" by Granting Inter
view to Newspaper Core
Spondents
BY DAVID LAWRENCE
Copyright, 1919, for The Atlanta
JOurnal) 81


Copyright, 1919, for The Atlanta
JournaD -
WASHINGTON, July 1O.-Presi-
dent Wilson has turned over a new
leaf. For the first time since May
1917, he saw the Washington CORE
spondents today and talked fully and
frankly. about pending questions. For
more than an hour he discussed the
peace treaty and League of Nations
and while some of his remarks indi-
cate that he has not finally made up
his mind on number of things.
nevertheless he is definite and posi-
tive in his expectation that the sem
ate will ratify the treaty without OBJ
jectionable reservations. 81
Mr. Wilson gave the impression
that he wouldn't stand for any reser-
vations and rather emphatically took
issue with those who have been say
ing it takes only majority vote
resolution. He may or may not be
right about this. Senator Lodge, Re-
publican chairman of the foreign re-
lations committee, can present
convincing argument exactly to the
contrary.
the presidents out-giving of news
amounts to this: First, there isn't a
chance that the ban on liquor Will
be raised between now and January
/, when the constitutional amend
ment on prohibition goes into effect.
Mr. Wilson spoke of the demobiliza-
ton process as a long one mad as
dependent upon Germany's part IN
carrying out certain military pro
It looked as if Mr.. Wilson MIN I'M
| self hadn't much hope that tn'S
| would be done early.
Anxious for Trade
Second, the president MADE II
unite clear that he didn't intend TO-
hold as a club over the heads OF the
senate the trading. with the enemF
act. He admitted that 1t would tee
nically remain in force, but tina
| tive would be exercised in favor OF
the Immediate resumption OF trace
| with the central powers MI. W.!
| sons decision is based on an any
| iety to have the Germans begin ear
| ing money to pay the enormous
ranarations for which the treaty pro-
vides. s,,r-
Third, the president upset one sup
nosition which has been general N
| this country. namely that the Leagus
| of Nations bound the United, states
| to go o'war without action by coz.
gross. Mr.. Wilson emphasized tna
Nothing in the treaty or league Wou.n
Hind rs to act If congress did not
wish to do so. All the executive
would do would be to recommend ac-
| lion but congress would eXercls
| its constitutional function 10 agree
or disagree with the executive
Fourth, the president mo besrt IL II
| America failed to ratify the defehr
sive agreement. He told the GORE
| snondents not to cali 1t an allldlre'
He believed it was not an alllance "a
His explanation was that IL mere
Iy bridged the gap between the pres
TrYI1n
would be in operation. A PIECES
| To helm France in the immediate fu-
| ture if Germany misbehaved again
Fifth, Mr.. Wilson spoke OF tha
League of Nations as a 1ornult
| which would be followed IN the
and Turkey as means OF entorclnE
these pacts. Again he brought out
that the League of Nations was
closely interviewer in the whole ran
ric Of preserving the peace that
had been written. He did not hesitate
ed States had not been at war with
Bulgaria and Turkey, responsible
ties would devolve upon us through
the League of Nations to make the
United States party to the ar,
rangementS made with Turkey ana
Austria and Bulgaria.
Springs a Surprise
Sixth, the president rather sur
prised his hearers ~ his insistence
that it would take a tWo-th1rdS ana
not majority vote to ratify the peace
treaty. Men on Capitol Hill have
been saying the opposite. Senator
Lodge has said that when the debate
tegan on the text or phraseology
of the ratifying resolution, amend
ments would be offered such as per-
haps provision 30 eliminate artl-
Gle ten of the league covenant. Mr..
Lodge thinks a majority vote would
put such an amendment into the rat
flying resolution so that when it
came to voting on the whole thing
the Democrats would be obliged to
vote for it as written or be respon-
sible for delaying ratification.
Mr.. Wilson things presumably that
the Democrats by threatening to
withhold enough votes would make
it clear that no ratifying resolution
containing Objectionable amendments
would be adopted, so that an agree
ment by two-thirds on the text OF
the resolution would in the end he
necessary. Mr.. Wilson made 1T very
clear, too, that the reservations
would have to be acceptable to the
allies and the plain inference Of
his remarks was that if matters got
into a tangle, he would submit the
amendments to the ~oreIgn govern
ments and the responsibility for the
delay incident to such negotiation
would fall upon those who were seek
ing to amend. But as the inter-
view closed the president smiling
ly reiterated his confidence that
the senate would ratify." He isn't
a bit in doubt on the subject, or at
least he doesn't show any.