The Washington herald., 1919-08-14
TREATY ACTION
BY SENATE MAY
COME AT ONCE
Demands Of Democrats for
Consideration Lead to
Bitter Debate.
DRAFT CHANGES TODAY
Lodge Says Reservations
Are Ready for Discus
sion Now.
A demand by Administration SEN

A demand by administration Sem
ators for precIpitate action on the
peace treaty provoked violent
controversy which broke up the
meeting Of the Senate Foreign Rela
tiOns Committee yesterday.
Across the $3.50 mahogany peace
table" which was specially con-
structed for the committees hear
ings on the treaty. charges and
counter charges were hurled in such
Lodge got tired Of pounding the
table with the block OF marble
which he used as a gavel and ad-
journed the meeting.
It was announced by Senator
Lodge that the committee tomorrow
morning will take up the actual
work OF drafting and voting upon
reservations and amendments to the
treaty
Hitchcock PrecipItatrs Debate
Senator Hitchcock. of Nebraska
leader OF the administration forces
started the trouble in the committee
session by demanding to know Of Sen
atOr Lodge how soon the majority
members Of the committee would send
the treaty to the Senate. He de-
cIared that the Democratic members
knew that the Republicans intended
to have the treaty ''mauIed and man
handled" and asserted that the dam
age done to the treaty would BE- re-
paired in the Senate. where he was
confident enough votes would be re-
corded against any changes which the
Republicans on the committee might
make.
There is a demand on the part OF
the Senate and the country for some
action on this treaty" Senator Hitch
cock declared. and we demand to
know what reason there is fer de-
lay. The hearings which the COM
nittce has held have been ineffective
and have not changed the vote of
a single member of the committee.
Nothing can be gained by proceeding
in this way. We want to get the
treaty before the Senate"
Senator Hitchcock went on to say
that every Republican member of the
committee knew exactly what he in
tended to do with respect to amend
ments or reservations. and accom-
panied this statement with a threat
to take the matter before the Senate
unless the committee acts very soon.
This statement brought A vociferous
rrtort from Senator Fall. OF New
Mexico. who declared he was tired OF
having his motives impugned by Sena-
tors on the other side of the table.
He said he felt it his duty to study
the treaty with care and that no
threat by the administration followers
would scare him into acting hurriedIy
upon matters which were not under
stood.
Lodge Wants Action.
Senator Lodge assured Senator
Hitchcock that he was in favor OF
prompt action On the treaty and felt
that nothing would be gained by more
hearings.
After the meeting adjourned Sen
ators Hiram johnson and Borah, who
had left before the controversy start
ed. sent letter to Senator Lodge re-
duestinE him to summon a number of
witnesses who could tell the commit
tee how certain provisions in the
treaty were reached. Among the wit
nesses suggested in the letter were
Col. House, Gen. Bliss, Henry White,
William c. BulIitt. Capt. Hornbeck
and Prof. Williams.
Senator johnson expressed great in
dignatiOn over the possibility that the
treaty may be reported without learn
ing more about it He is especially
desirOus Of having the treaties with
Turkey. Bulgaria and Hungary before
the committee in order that the bur
dens imposed upon the United States
in those treaties and only vaguely
hinted at in the present treaty may
ha FrI11v known