The Chattanooga news. [volume] (Chattanooga, Tenn.) 1891-1939, 1919-07-31
SENATOR KEYES'.
BACK STIFFENED
Declares He is Stronger for
Ratification With Reserva-
tionS Than Ever.
BARNEY BARUcH CALLED
Questioned on Reparation and
Other Financial Clausesaa
of Treaty.


Washington, July 3l.-"My back
is sitter than ever for ratification Of
the treaty with reservations" Senator
Keyes, republican, OF New Hamp-
shire, said today, after conference
with President Wilson at the White
House.
Senator Keyes, who was one OF the
slgners OF the round robin on the
league Of nations circulated by re-
publican senators in the closing hours
of the last congress, told the presi-
dent he favored reservations along
the lines proposed by former Presi-
dent Taft, Charles Evans Hughes
and Elihu Root.
Resumes Consideration.
The senate foreign relations COM
mittee was ready today to begin
hearings on the peace treaty. Ber-
nard Baruch, an adviser to the
American peace delegation, had beer
called as the first witness and the
committee had decided to hold its
hearings in open session--one of tho
first, II not the first time, In senate
history that an inquiry concerning
an important treaty was thrown oper
to the public.
Members of the committee planned
to question Mr.. Baruch regarding the
reparation and other financial clauses
of the treaty. These portions were
found to be most intricate by com.
mittee members in their preliminary
reading of the document.
Senator Ransdell, democrat oil
Louisiana, a league supporter, had
announced that he would speak In
the senate today advocating ratifica.
ton of the treaty with its league
covenant. Senators owen, democrat
of Oklahoma, and Fall republican. OF
New Mexico, also were expected Il
speak today or within a few days.
President Interviews.
While the senate was busy with the
treaty subjects both in committee
and on the floor, President Wilson
was to continue his conferences with
republican senator's. Senators New
and Watson, of Indiana, and Keyes
of New Hampshire, had invitations
to the White House today. Senator
New was the third member of the
foreign relations committee to be in.
vited to the White House. the Others
being Senators Harding, of Ohio
and McCumber, of North Dakota.
Secretary Lansing Is expected tc
appear soon before the senate for
eign relations committee. Senator
Lodge. it's chairman. announced to-
day when the committee met in oper
session for the first time since 1t be.
gan consideration of the treaty ol
Versailles. &
The secretary of state was to b,
asieationed closely 9s 4 o SfiIe pr0tes
against the Shantung settlement he
Gen. Bliss and Henry White, as three
/ of the American peace commission
ers, are purported to have signed be,
fore the peace negotiations were con.
cluded.
Senator New, of Indiana, a repub
lican member of the foreign relations
committee, said after a visit to the
White House today that he had told
the president 1t would be utterly
impossible to get the senate to ac-
cept the peace treaty as 1t stands
and that it either would be ratified
with reservations or fail"
Senator New said he told the pres.
ident he was utterly opposed to Ar
ticle X of the league. of nations cove
nant. He added that in reply to the
presidents statement that adoption
of reservations by the senate might
set precedent for other nations he
had said that the question Of reser-
vations was one for the United
States to decide regardless of tho
effect on other countries.
President Wilson's view is that tho
United States should not share in
the indemnities to be paid by Ger
many, Bernard Nj. Baruch, confiden-
Itial financial adviser to the president
at the peace conference. told the SEN
ate foreign relations committee today
at the first of its open hearings on
the treaty of Versailles.
Baruch stated that the distribution
of indcmnities to be paid by Ger
many was still to be determined.
Senator Knox is reported as saying
1t had been gathered from the pres
idents address of July 10 that
the United States was not to
share in any of the billions Germany
was to pay over to nations arrayed
against her in the war.
Baruch' replied that he was still of
the impression that the president did
not think any part Of the German
indebtedness should be turned over
to the United States. Baruch sug-
gested, however, that it was for the
senate to determine whether 1t, as
well as the president, had jurisdic-
ton in the matter.
The hearing was slowly getting un-
der way. 1t had hardly started in a
big committee room on the second
floor of the senate office building
when Senator Lodge. presiding. de-
cided that the acoustics necessitated
a change to a room better adapted
to hearing what was said. Another
delay ensued as senator's, witnesses,
newspaper correspondents and on
lockers flocked to another room on
the fourth floor. There Baruch re-
sumed his testimony with a descrip-
ton of the economic commission at
Paris of which he was a member.
+. w. Taussig, chairman of the
United States tariff commission and
Bradley w. Palmer. of counsel to the
alien property custodian, who were
among the presidents advisers at
Paris satsnear Baruch during his tes-
timony regarding financial and eco
nOmic clauses OF the treaty.
Palmer interrupting Baruch at his
request, expressed the opinion that
American holders of property in Ger
many were amply protected under the
treaty by the disposition of German
property in this country through the
alien property custodian. Palmer said
that German Indebtedness to America
was protected" because Germany
guaranteed under the treaty that Amer
ican property in Germany should be re-
stored intact to its owners Whether
Germany would live up to this agree
ment, OF course, remained to be deter
mined. Palmer added.
Right to Share.
The United states was entitled TO a
share in the German indemnities, but
whether she would claim a shafe
Palmer said he was not in a position
to state. He expressed the opinion that
the sale of German property by the
alien property custodian would not only
afford ample protection to Germany's
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