The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1919-08-20
Opponent to Peace Treaty Not
Swayed by Conference
With President
Wilson.
BOTH SIDES ARE RIGHT
Factions Say Wilson's Answers to
Questions Clearly Prove
Their Contentious
Correct.
by L. c. Martin, United Press Staff
Correspondent

correspondents
! WASHINGTON, Aug. 20 - Both
friends and foes Of the peace treaty
today professed to be encourage by
the white house conference between
President Wilson an dthe senate for
eign relations committee yesterday
Both factions today declared the presi
dents answers to questions seemed 10
prove their side is right. Opposition
senators declared their position had
not been changed and the fight against
the treaty and league Of nations cove.
nant would take on new intensity As
the league friends have been prepar.
ing to force the issue any way, a
climax appears to be approaching in
the struggle which has swayed the
senate for months
Senator Hitchcock, administration
leader declared today that the presi-
dent clarified doubtful matters in a
wonderful way.
Senator'S Borah and Johnson leaders
of the extreme opposition in a joint
statement, said the presidents state
ment Justified and confirmed us in
the position we have taken on the
league"
Senator Lodge, republican leader
and reservationist, declined formal
comment. He expressed the b,lief
that the conference had made no i'm
preston on the leagues opponents
while it proved inspiring to its friends.
The presidents construction OF
moral obligations and his statement
that such an obligation would be Of
compelling force, requiring the United
Stafnc n 70 bo hand in Et1IYSnaar Of
fairs, promises to be the subject Of
sharp senate debate. His admission,
also, that the allies kept him ignorant
Of their secret treaties covering dis
position Of territory, while trying to
get the United States into the war,
will be used by the league opponents.
Senators said they did not learn all
they wanted to, but laid that to the
shortness Of the conference. All were
impressed with the presidents willing
ness to talk, although. Borah and
Johnson pointed out in their state
ment that he declined to tell certain
facts regarding the fixing of Ger
many's reparation or go into the de-
bates Of various commissions. The
committee today was to resume its
public hearings on the treaty with DIR.
John G. Ferguson, an oriental expert,
as witness. He Is to be questioned
concerning the Shantung settlement
which President Wilson said yaster-
day was disappointing to him.
Second Battle of Paris.
IBy Fred S. Ferguson. United Press
Staff Correspondent
WASHINGTON, Aug. 20.-The
second battle of Paris is on full blast
today, but this time in Washington.
The situation following the presi-
dents history-naking conference
with the foreign relations committee
was today comparable 70 the srtua-
tion in Paris immediately after the
president suddenly summoned the
George Washington to Brest The
final fight to complete the peace
treaty then entered it's last stages.
The George Washington, swinging at
anchor, was the club behind the
president.
Today the last round of the fight
for ratification Of the treaty is under
way with prospects of the same out
come as on the treaty ftseir, In the
opinion of Observers compromise.
The president is relying on the
Of the George Washing
ton" of public opinion TO prevent the
senate making textuar amendments
to the treaty, or entering reserva-
tions in the actual ratification reso-
luton.
He has paved the way, however,
for the senate to express itself by
going on record with 'interpreta-
lions" in separate resolution. This
will not worry any Of the foreign
powers.
France went on record at the