Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1919-11-18
Treaty Fight i'm Final Stages

IT HE treaty fight has reached the stage
i where the present week will decide its
fate in so far as participation III il by the
United States is concerned The present out
look is that the ratifying resolution will 10
defeated by the vote OF Democratic Senators,
joined by Il small number of Republican tr-
reconciablcs. the former opposing the resp
luton because OF reservations Included II
it which i'll their belief. destroy It's original
purpose by sappng it OF all yi;Slisy. scd The
latter because of outright opposition 10 eater
ing into any form OF league crvsnA.. wty.
European nations.
There appears to- be no question ~ she
ability OF the Republicans 10 force the 4acr-
ton OF the entire body or reservations ~
ported by the Foreign Relations co,ousit.Gr,
which will be accomplished by ! single MS
jority vote. The question will ttsu recur OF
the adoption OF the resolution ra,ityiuS gis
treaty III it's altered form, n twc-thiriS vote
being required to ratfy. The result of this
vote, therefore. will depend on the attitude
OF Democratic supporters of the treaty after
Senator Hitchcock has conferred with the
President and ascertained his wishes in the
matter, by which they will be guided II
the President is unwilling to accept the
treaty in the mutilated form presented in the
ratifying resolution, it will fail for lack Of
the necessary two-thrds vote
AS to whether this will finally dispose OF
the treaty. depends on the ruling OF the
presiding officer Of the Senate, the Vice
President, on the right TO submit another
resolution Of ratification, and the action OF
the Senate on sustaining his ruling. The
Nice-President has already indicated that he
will rule favorably the question. ma
jority can overturn this ruling and the Re-
publicans claim they have the votes to do
this.
Should the chair not be sustained in this
ruling. there will be no further opportunity
for compromise and the treaty will be as
dead as door nail in so far as American
participation in it is involved. This country
would then be placed in the position of hay-
ing to negotiate separate treaty with Ger
many or else continue technically in a state
OF war with the German people This would
place the United States at decided disad-
vantage in the negotiations necessary to he
undertaken to end the war. The force under
which the terms included in the present
treaty were e1actcd from Germany would no
longer exist and we would face the necessity
OF entering a new convention with Germany
in which the principals would be on an equal
lty. This, manifestly, would mean that Ger
many would never consent to "A renewal of
the terms OF the existing treaty awarding to
America from 100000 to 100000 tons OF
shipping taken at the outset Of the war and
me SSoo,uoe.0O0 worth OF German citizens
properly conhscated in this country TO meet
INC claims OF our citizens for damages sus-
'alneo at the hands of the enemy Without
new treaty reaffirming these awards all Of
the property that belongs to German citizens
mere VIII have 10 be paid over TO them None
VINO Knows the German temper can doubt
'hat Germany, in the absence OF force. will
spurn any offer OF new treaty renewing
these concessions
Nor is this all In breaking with our
former allies. the United States would lose
'heir moral and material support in its fur
.ncr negotiations to discntanglc itself from
lhc war ana would stand out in shocking
ISOLATION as a nation which repudiated the
responsibilities ii incurred by entering the
conflict OF aiding in the restoration of peace
ana OF making secure the fruits of victory
by establishing new world order on a jus,er
hriner and more enlightened foundation.