Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1919-08-24
BOTH SIDES EAGER
+. FOR TREATY FIGHT
ON SENATE FLOOR
Committee Action on Shan
tung Crowds Other Issues
Into the Background. a
CANVASS POINTS TO
CLOSE VOTE ON CLAUSE
Leaders Admit That Its Adoption
Would Call for Resubmis-
sion of Treaty. =

Will the Senate sustain the action
of the committee on foreign relations
in amending the treaty by providing
that Shantung be given to China?
This question. brought to the fore
by yesterdays vote in committee. has
assumed paramount interest over
questions of reservations or other is
sues. 1t is admitted by both fac
tions in the controversy that should
the Senate vote to amend the treaty
as recommended by the committee it
would mean the resubmission of the
treaty to the signatories.
Democratic leaders in the Senate
were confident yesterday that when
the treaty comes into the Senate with
this proposed amendment the Senate
will defeat the Shantung amendment
They look for the democratic MEM
bership. with possibly two exceptions,
to oppose the amendment, and expect
at least five republicans to vote with
them to overturn the committees
action and retain the Shantung
clause as drafted in the treaty
a majority Of two votes in the Senate.
at the minimum estimate. to reject
the amendment and possibly three or
four.
Democrats Eager for Vote.
What the democrats want now 10 to
get the treaty into the Senate, where
it win be subject to action by the
entire membership Of the Senate.
Many Of the republicans are eager
to have the treaty reported and the
disposition of the majority of the
committee, it is said. is to get It into
the Senate with all reasonable speed.
Aftee voting to amend the peace
treaty by striking out Japan's title
to the rights in Shantung. the COM
mittee notified President Wilson yes
terday that it could not intelligently
proceed with its work on amend
ments until he furnished additional
information.
The point Of inadequate informa-
ton was raised by republican MEM
bers, Chairman Lodge declaring there
were in the Presidents hands i'm
portant documents which were alb
solutely essential to the determine
ton of questions involved in the
committees work. During its entire
consideration of the treaty. the chair
man said, the committee had been
hampered by lack of information that
should have been given it weeks ago.
Polish Treaty Forthcoming.
Democratic members are understood
to have expressed general opposition
to any interruption of the commit
tees plan for prompt action, but
finally, on motion of Senator Will
liams, democrat, Mississippi. and with
out a record vote, the chairman was
instructed to ask the President for
the treaty with Poland signed June
%, two agreements regarding the
Rhine section to which the United
States was a party. and such in
formation as may be available about
the treaties now under negotiation
with Austria, Hungary. Bulgaria and
Turkey.
All Of the documents asked of the
President. republican members de-
clared, had q direct bearing on the
treaty now under consideration and
should be before the committee Off
cially when it acted. The Polish
treaty and the Rhine agreements had
been submitted to the British house
asserted. and British prints had been
received unoficially by committee
members and put into the Senate rec
ord.
Progress in Committee.
What effect the request for informa-
ton might have on the hopes Of some
members for a committee report this
week was a matter Of wide specula-
ton. Chairman Lodge declared con-
Of the treaty was progress
ing as rapidly as possible and that
any delay had been due to an inability
to get information. Some democratic
members, on the other hand, openly
charged that committee action was
being unnecessarily delayed by the
.reaty's opponents.
Explaining the committees request
or information, Chairman Lodge saii
he treaty with Poland was directly
with the German treaty
md that he could not understand why
President Wilson had not submitted
t to the Senate for ratification.
The Rhine agreements had been
igned, Mr.. Lodge continued, by the
President and the premiers Of Great
Britain, France and Belgium on the
me hand and the representatives OF
Germany on the other One of them.
IL said, was in effect a protocol form
ng "a part of the treaty with Ger
Many"
Regarding the other treaties now
nder negotiation. the chairman re-
allied that President Wilson had told
he committee in Tuesdays White
louise conference that these docu-
,ents were understood to be virtu-
lily completed. They were so inter-
,oven with the German treaty. he
aid, that until the committee saw
hem it could not tell with any GER
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