New-York tribune., 1919-08-22
Critics Plan
Campaign to
Kill League
Continued from page /

Poindexter and Reed to follow routes
| SO far undecided.
The plan, SO far as it has gone. is to
attempt the conversion Of those states
whose Senators are Wavcring between
reservations and downright opposition
to the league as whole. The Middle
and Far West are regarded bv the
"lrreconclables" as the only sections
or the country, except, of course, the
solid South" in which the league has
any large degree of support
Would Cover "Doubtfuls"
II wave of opposition can be start
ed east from the Pacific Coast and west
from the Mississippi, they believe
enough votes can be obtained in the
senate to make rejection of the cove
hant certain. Various strategies to be
employed in the Senate were discussed
at the conference, but the leagues enc
mes are counting most strongly on the
reaction of the people to their areu-
fnents IN their campaign for rejection
Of the league.
10 Protect "Irreconcilablcs'
Senator Knox's plan, it, was said.
was to work out some method bv wh;ch
some of the "irreconcilables" coul6 ba
protected while leaving the Senate lore
enough to go to the Pacific Coast.
1T was mentioned for instance, yhet
Senators Sherman, of Illinois, La Fc,-
Iette, OF Wisconsin, Gronna, of North
Dakota, Fernald. of Maine, Mccormick
OF Illinois, and several others are OK.
pected to vote mo- on the final roll
call
Satisfaction is said to have been
expressed at the luncheon over prog
res Tess by those opposed to the treaty
a tI,>rn ~ IL
pleased the meeting was held at the
invitation of Senator Knox. Although
he has been counted on as one OF the
group from time to time, he has made
no dehnlte statement against tie
league If proper reservations were
adopted.
His speech in favor of his own reso
luton, deferring consideration of the
league OF nations until after the peace
treaty has been ratified, was con-
strued by many as an attack on the
league itself, although he said this
resolution did not go into the merits
of the league but merely put off con
slderatlon of so important a matter
until there would be adequate time to
consider it,
Opposes Merger With Europe
He advanced reasons why the safety
of the United States, in his opinion.
made it necessary for this country to
keep out of the combination with Eu-
ropean nations. If that could not be
done, he told the Senators, and if those
who opposed the league altogether were
forced to deal with the league cove
nant by reservations, they should be
so strong and SO clear as to relieve
the United States of any obligation.
burden or sacrifice of its sovereignty
IN any respect
Following the failure of the Pitt
man attempt to line up the group of
seven mild reservationists" for inter-
pretations in resolution separate from
the peace treaty, two disclaimers were
made to-day that this was an Admin
istratlon move. At the White House il
was said unofficially that the Presi-
dent had no knowledge of the move
before It was made Senator Pittman
also said the Prosident had no know
edge of it, but added: 81 interpreted
the Presidents statements at the con.
terence with the Foreign Relations
committee to mean that he and tho
other trainers of the covenant gave 10
the articles mentioned in nv reso1n1
tion substantially the same internreta-
ton that is attempted to be pjven a,
the resolution" e~' 4"