The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1919-08-23
Senate Foreign Relations Com.
mittee Takes Action Today.
SO-Called Jap Steal Prompts
First Amendment.
REPORT TREATY WITHIN WEEK
Senator Lodge Promises To
Speed Up Ratification.
President Is Asked for u. s.
Pact With Poland.

Washington, Aug. 2S.-By a vote of
9 to 8. the senate foreign relations
committee adopted an amendment to
the peace treaty by which German
rights in Shantung province. China.
would go to China instead of Japan.
All the Democratic members and
Senator McCumber, Republican,
North Dakota. voted against the
amendment.
Substitute "China" for Japan
Chairman Lodge offered the amend
ment under which the word Japan"
would be stricken from the Shantung
section of the treaty and the word
''China" substituted.
The committee also instructed
Chairman Lodge to request President
Wilson to send the senate the treaty
between the United States and Poland
signed June rs at Versailles and such
information as he has regarding the
treaties now under negotiation with
Austria, Bulgaria and Turkey. With
amendments to the treaty with Ger
many, the committee adjourned until
Monday.
Is First Amendment.
The Shantung action is the first
amendment to the treaty made by the
| L.
mittee proceeded to consider other
amendments. in executive session.
Leaving the committee room after
the roll call, Senator Brandegee made
the following statement:
| The committee has just voted on a
roll call by a vote of to 8, Senator
McCumber voting with the Democrats.
| to strike out the word Japan wher-
ever it appears in Articles 156, 157
and 158 of the treaty of Versailles, and
insert in lieu thereof the word China
The effect of this is that the commit
tee on foreign relations favors the re-
turn of the German concessions in
Shantung to China instead OF to ia
pan.
Senators Shields, Hitchcock and
Pittman, Democrats, were not present
| but by agreement their votes were re-
corded in the negative. Senator Lodge
made the motion to strike out Japan
and insert China"
Within a week the foreign relations
| committee will be ready to report the
peace treaty to the senate, Senator
Lodge has assured administration
| leaders. among them Senator Hitch
cock, 1t was learned today
Hearings to be granted Greeks,
| Egyptians, Irish and others VIII be
deferred until after the committee re-.
ports IL that is necessary to avoid de-
lay, according to Republican commit
tee members plans.
Vote on Amendments Today.
The committee met today in execu-
| tive session to begin voting on treaty
amendments. The meeting was pre-
| ceded by a conference of Republican
members, who hoped atl that time to
unite on a program of committee work
| that will speed up as much as possi-
BILE the disposition OF the amendments.
They repeated that there Is not
| enough votes for textua1 amendments
to cause approval of a single commit
tee amendment.
With the treaty actually before tho
senate, the final phase Of the fight
will. be on and senators predicted 1t
will eclipse in oratorical fury and heat
anything that has gone before.
| Both Republican and Democratic
leaders predict that the COMMITTEES
will adopt several amendments to the
body of the treaty, but the Democrats
assert all of them will be voted down
in the snate.
The amendments proposed cover
a wide range. Senator Fall, Repub-
lican. New Mexico, wants to have no
American representation on the va
rious reconstruction commissions deal
ing with European matters. Senator
Knox, Republican, Pennsylvania pro-
posed that the peace terms and tho
League of Nations covenant be sep
arated and the latter reserved for later
consideration. Senator Borah, Repub-
lican, Idao, would defeat the league
covenant entirely by simply striking IL
out of the treaty.
Amendments also are to be offered
to the economic and labor sections