New-York tribune., 1919-10-04
Treaty Backers
Will Fight on
W ithout Wilson
Agree TO Use Own Judg-
ment as to Compromises
With Republicans, but Are
lat Sea- Over Article X
By Carter Field
New York Tribpns
Nrr.b,.,,,+,, p,...<,,,

Ne,o York Tribpns
Washington Bureau
WASHINGTON, Oct. 3.-Assuming
that the Presidents physicians would
not permit him to hold conferences on
the peace treaty for some time Ad-
mlnlstratlon leaders in .he Senate to-
day decided to go ahead with the fight
on their own responsibility and follow
their own judgment as TO where and
how to yield to opposition demands.
Such Senators as Hitchcock and
Swanson are distressed over the situa-
tlon. aside from their personal feeling
many statements by the President on
his trip especially in his speech at
Salt Lake City declaring that the conf
promise reservation on Article X would
cut the heart out Of the treaty they
are quite at sea as to how far the
President would permit them to go in
compromising with the Republicans,
were he able to direct the fight.
But the Administration Senator'S are
convinced that they will not be able
20 consult the Presidene- before the
situation must be met. and they have
therefore, concluded to do the best they
can. They will force the Republicans
20 modify the reservations TO the
greatest extent possible, and Will
finally accept the best from their
viewpoint they can get.
Taft Suggests Change
Ex-President Taft called on Senator
McCumber, the strongest friend Of the
league Of nations on the Republican
side, at his Office to-day, at Mr. Nc
Cumbers request.
"Mr. Taft suggested very slight
change IN the reservation on Article X
! III, [oC' iar
at seemed to me an Improvement in
language, although its effect will not
be, in my opinion, to change the mean
ing TO any great extent.
Senator McCumber said Mr. Taft
thought even the compromise reserva-
ton on Article Y, which was denounced
by the President. should be little
"mlder" Mr Taft also conferred
with Senator Kellogg and others of the
mild reservationlst' group but Ialied
to see Senator Hitchcock. one OF the
Democratic leaders Mr.. Taft IS eX-
pected to confer with Senator hitch
cock to-morroW.
Senator Jones, of Washington. who
at one time was classed with the mild
reservationists" in vigorous speech
to-day declared not only for strong res
ervations to the treaty but for the
Johnson textual amendment giving the
United States an equal vote with the
British Empire in the league assembly,
Mr.. Jones said he would prefer to re
duce Britain's vote rather than TO in
crease the American vote, but deemed
this impossible Of attainment. In the
event the amendment should not pre-
vail. he said, he would vote for a strong
reservation on this point.
Attacks Johnson Amendment
Senator McCumber to-day surprised
his colleagues by new line of attack
on the Johnson amendment
al. is alleged and so understood gem
orally by the country NJ. McCumber
said that the league couucu or the
assembly has the power TO decide dis
putes between nations, and that in such
decisions Great Britain would control
SIX votes and the United States but one.
These ella ms are without any foUnda
tion whatever, because, frst, neither
the council nor the assembly is board
Of arbitration; second, neither of them
decides international disputes at all
third, the only jurisdiction which either
the council or the assembly can have
over dispute between nations is the
right to investigate and report what
the true facts are concerning the dis
pute and make recomm andatiOn thereto,
lOl(ln. as NSlLiFF litAdNd nor tUy NLNti
British dominion or possession has Il
separate mem bershlp in the council, Of
course neither could have vote in the
council; fifth, # the investigation OF
the facts concerning the dispute SHOULD
be transferred 20 the assembly. then
Canada, Australi IA or other British do
mnion would still have no vote ii
either the British Empire or any one
of It's constituent parts was a party to
the dispute. lnasmuch as dispute
with q part is necessarily dispute
with tho whole, and dispute with he
dominant nation is necessarily q dis
pute with all its parts, sixth. # INC
dispute were between nations entirely
outside the British Empire, and the
case We're referred 10 the assembly.
then these seifgoVernmg domuions
mentioned could vote, not IN settlemenr
Of the dispute, but only on the ques-
ton of what are the true facts con
cernlng the disputes, seventh. Canada.
Australia New Zealand and South
Africa are governing nations, gov
erned solely by their own separate Par
liaments. And on those Investigations
of facts and Recommendations the only
questions on which the representa-
ives Of these domnlons could pass,
their votes could in no way be subject
TO the control Of Great Britain"