Daily Kennebec journal., 1919-12-18
TREATY IN SENATE
fcontinued from Page One)

leader in the irreconcilable Republic
can group of treaty opponents and
a member Of the foreign relations
committee, brought the subject 10
the floor by another attempt to get
before the Senate his two resolu-
tions to establish a state OF peace
The effort was blocked but he OBJ
tanned unanimous consent TO SEND
the measures to the committee. where
he expects to renew his request for
action.
A plea made by Senator Knox for
some sort Of a settlement was seconded
by Senator Smith of Georgia. . reser-
walton Democrat. who declared the
time had come to stop academic dis
cussion of those who held up the treaty
and get together in a give and take ef-
fort for compromise. Action also was
urged by Senator Nelson of Minneso-
IA. one Of the mild reservation Repub-
licans, and by Senator Myers OF Mon
tana, a Democrat who voted last ses-
sion for some reservations and also for
unreserved ratification.
In the compromise reservations pro-
ceeding at private conferences among
senator's the principal activity seemed
70 be among the Democrats. the Re-
ruolican reservationists indicating that
.hey awaited some concrete proposal
from the other side of the aisle. The
Democrat managers were hopeful that
such an agreement soon would be re-
ported. but they predicted it would not
take tangible form until after the hol-
idays
Among the Democrats there was much
discussion OF the possible effect Of the
compromise negotiations on the contest
between Senator Hitchcock of Nebras-
ka and Senator Underwood Of Alabama
for election as Democratic leader Of the
Senate. The negotiations started yes
terday with the mild reservation Re
puhlicans we're conducted bye Senator
Cnderwood's supporters. but Senator
Underwood declared tonight that while
he stood for some sort of compromise
he was not in revolt against President
Wilson nor leading any sort OF oppo-
sition to the treaty.
Consideration Of the first Of Senator
Knox's resolutions which would ratify
NiiC ttCdAs OL
state OF peace is concerned. was
blocked by Senator McKellar. Demo
crat Tennessee. while Senator Nelson
stopped the second one proposing
merely to declare that a state of peace
exists
II view Of the attitude Of President
Wilson, Senator Knox declared. the
Senate should proceed In its own way
TO secure a formal peace status. work
ing out the hest solution it could at
cnce.
Responsibility for the delay was de-
clared by Senator Smith to be about
s0-N' between the two parties. 1t was
only z waste OF time to try to fix the
blame. he-asserted. adding that in his
opinion more than two-thirds Of the
Senate favored ratification with rese.-
vations of a certain kind the phraseol-
ogy CT which could easily be worked
out II the real friends Of the treaty
were to come together in conference
we will make no progress by crim-
ination and recrimination," said Sena-
tor Smith. Let US cease trying to find
ou. who is to blame for the delay and
bring the delay to an end. Party poll
tics should not be played with a matter
Of such importance Ratification must
Re by non-partisan action and every ef-
fort to gain partisan advantage hand;-
cars ratification"
Senator Myers said both parties had
been making a political football of the
treaty. He recounted how he had vot.
ed in the last session and said that if
. the treaty came UP again he would 20
even further in an effort to end unset
tied business conditions.
, THE Senate on its own initiative
should end this confusion and ratify the
treaty. said Senator Myers
Senator Nelson said he wo,,Ifr favor
the Knox plan IL it were made more
definite so as to say specifically that
the League Of Nations provisions are
excepted from approval.
I'm heartily for the treaty with The
Lodge reservations he said, but ~
we can't have that will vote for ths
resolution Of Senator Knox IL It clearly
expresses that all Of the terms excent
the League OF Nations are ornr,.,.s -