Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1919-08-20
AWAIT EFFECT OF WHITE 5
HOUSE TREATY HEARING
Presidents supporters Claim New
Strength Gained in Senate
by Conference.
REPUBLICANS MAKE DEMAND
Opponents Feel Reaction Is Certain
TO Come as Result of Certain
Statements Made by Wilson to
Committee.
BY JUSTIN McGItATu.

WASHINGTON. August h9-How
will the Senate's attitude on the peace
treaty be affected by the conference
between President Wilson and the SEN
ate Foreign Relations Commute held
today in the White House?
Those who took ,hci- impression.
wholly from what they heard, saw and
fel; in the White House were con
WINGED that tho result OF the conference
would be the early rat itcation of the
treaty with merely inter?retativc
reservations
That was certainly the impression I
many OF the other Spondcuts that
il was the impression that every one
Of them had received
Feeling that that impre ssion was
based upon cne-sided view. ! Soush;
out some OF the Republican Senators
who have been foremost in opposing
the league OF nations covenant and the
treaty and asked them hluntiy If the
fed
They said cmphaticaily it absolutely
was not justified.
Claim, Hrnrtion Ahead
They admitted that the first psyche
logical impression of the country un-
doubtedly would be that the President
greatly improved his case with the
Senate and with the country But thew
preston would soon he diSSipatcd by
what would transpirc in the Senate
ana the reaction that would come from
abroad.
They, said that no convictions had
been chanecd by the conference held
today. That would be demonstrated
III the Senate within the next few days
They saw decided advantaEe 10 the
opposition in the admission OF the Pres
ident that the obligation put on the
treaty to maintain by force the terri
torial integrity of other members of
the league against external aGgres-
sion was only a mora Obligation
The most elaborate arguments made
on Article y. in the Senate on the Dem
ocraiic side have been those made by
Senator Walsh. e. Montana. who has
legally bound 10 &c; under Article "
when called upon by the league of ma
tons TO do so i'll defense of any mem
Der Of the league against eXtcrna! ag-
The President. therefore. by his
S 81 today is brought into con-
Gates OF ratihc,-:on i'll the Senate on
who opponents of he league consiler
its most vital provision.
Opponents Grasp Straw.
to make the most of this situation
Moreover, the opponents of the
league expect TO have their case great
the President's in,erpretatton Of AZ
t!cle y, which will come from Euro
pean countries and the expected vio-
come from France against the Presi.
dents statement that the special
, ,er Win Franee, imp'osss no,hinS
the United States s' :" '''s A'''" UPON
Members of the Presidents entour-
they though, u he honors We're i'e'' COM e
plctely with the President and pre-
dicted confidently the result of the
cation OF the treaty with merely in
terprctive reservations.
They gave specific reasons for their
They thought the President had
sstatemen, at the onsnins Of the con
opponent OF the treaty. This state
men, wen, on, 10 all the aftern@ ,%
big play" in the afternoon papers.
In this statement the president re-
iterated and strengthened his arEu-
ment that delay IN ratification OF the
treaty would seriously interfere with
normal conditions Of life and industry.
OCCASION 10 point out that mines in
Missouri and Idaho, as we'll as in other
states were being operated at about
Of Idaho. and senat6r Reed, of Mis-
suori are TWO OF the Interest Of the
G Gnnf said f % fm that hardpS SIN
gle raw material. = single important
foods,uG or a. single class Of ~, manu-
1dCtnrtC ScpES tDiil ~ IpIlldiIS PA
duced until peacc-i.was. signed
QuiclS Actian Sought.
He pointed cut also that Great Rri-
tain Belgium and France would be in
a position 10 Law their plans for con
trolling the market Of Central Europe
without competition from the United
States IL there was not quick aston
on the treaty. Then he undertook 20
answer the arguments made against
specific provisions Of tho treaty.
The effect of getting out this state
nlent TO the country as the first news
of the conference, members of the
Presidents household thought. would
he 20 create sentiment favorable to
the Presidents position. As the stcnoE-
raph!c report OF the conference came
out, the confidence OF the Whict House
attaches that honovs would he with
the President increased. From time to
time they pointed out that not "A single
question Was asked which he rrcS!.
dent did not answer completely
one Of them. who was bcaming with
satisfaction over the manner in which
the President answered his critics &C n
hdcd an interesting secret TO me He
told me that the Prcsiden, had all day
yesterday "boncd up" on the treaty.
Just as he used to do in his college
days on difficult subjects. He Went
through II from the beginning To the
end, SO IS TO 10 he certain ne would