New-York tribune., 1919-07-22
Direct Change Is Likely,
Say Leaders; Feeling
Against Pact Increases
Since Speech by Norris
Chinese Delegates
Protest to Lodge
Move to Block Naming of
Reparation Committee
Members Opens To-day
NeaD York Tribune
Wash inOton Bureau

NeD York Tribune
Washington Bureau
WASHINGTON, July 21.-A direct
amendment striking out the Shantunp
provision from the peace treaty is now
probable, Republican leaders in the
Senate announced tonight after the
meeting Of the Foreign Relations Com
mittee and after many conferences
during the day
Nothing the President has said to
the Republican Senators with whom
he has conferred has convinced one of
them that the treaty provision s justi-
fable. and the only doubt about the
success of direct amendment striking
out the provision instead Of reser-
vation withholding the approval of the
United States is that some Senators
who do not approve the section may
refuse to take any action which would
result in reconvening the peace con-
ference
There is some doubt about this to-
night because until now there has been
no proposal to strike out this section,
and therefore no discussion of it.
Since the speech of Senator Norris on
Shantung, however, sentiment in the
Senate has been rapidly growing more
and more pronounced against this sec
ton.
Chinese Protest to Lodge
Four Chinese, two of them the Shan.
tung Province special delegates at the
peace conference, T. H. Shu and H. K
Kun; third, Chao Chu- WI. a nephew
of Minister WI. and Secretary Wang
Of the legation called on Chairman
Lodge Of the Foreign Relations Com
mittee to-day and voiced strong objec-
tion to the Shantung section. They
congratulated Senator Lodge on his re
cent speech in the Senate. in which he
characterized the Shantung section of
the treaty as the price paid Japan to
obtain her signature" TO the league of
nations covenant and the peace treaty
They also expressed strong approval
of the scathing ARA alignment Of the
Shantung section by Senator Norris
1t was just after their visit that an
nouncement was made by Republican
leaders that direct amendment elimi-
mating the Shantung section would be
made to the treaty.
This deve lopme ent overshadows every
thing else in the situation to-day, be
cause it marks an open defiance of the
theory that the American reservations
must be made in such manner as not
to make IT necessary to reconvene the
peace conference, or even to open the
door so that other nations would begin
making reservations against the league
covenant or the treaty on their own
account.
Would Give Shanturg to China
Some of the Senators are even going
so far as to declare that, instead, of
striking the Shantung section out, they
would amend the section. so as to con
vey the German rights in Shantung to
China instead of to Japan. 1t is not
thought tonight that this radical"
view will prevail. though it has many
supporters.
Meanwhile the most intense irrta-
ton is growing over the failure Of
President Wilson to answer the For
eign Relations Committee's request
for certain information, particularly
on the Shantung protest and for the
text of the American draft of the
league covenant.
At the meeting Of the committee to-
day Senator Fall said it was nothing
unusual for the Executive to pay no
attention to such requests from the
legislative branch Of the government
in the Wilson administration, and re
called that out of sixty requests for in
formation from the Senate on Mexico
only one had been answered. The 9th
crs had been simply ignored he de-
clared.
Other Developments of Day
Among the other important develop
ments of the day were:
President Wilson requested for
mally that the committee approve
the appointment of American repre-
sentativcs on the rcparation com
mission, in advance of the ratifica-
ton of the treaty. Discussion on
this was a little acrid in commit
tee, even Senator Williams, the
Presidents warm admirer, proposing
a resolution that the committee had
no power. Republican Senators held
the President had no power either,
until the treaty shall be ratified
Democrats hold that he had, but that
the Senate and the committee had
nothing to do with it.
Owing to the refusal Of Senator
Norris to accept the Presidents in
vitation to go to the White House
and to the Presidents illness, here
were no White House conferences
to-day. Tomorrow the President il
his health permits. will see Senn-
tors Calder, Edge and Cummins, and
on Wednesday Senators Page, Nc
Lean and Sterling. These names indi-
cate the President has about com
pletcd his list Of Senators friendly
to the league and has begun 70 take
on more vigorous opponents.
Formal speeches supporting the
league md treaty were delivered ny
Senators Pomcrenc, Of Ohio, and
Harrison. Of Mississippi. Notices
have now been given Of set speeches
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