The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1919-06-29
Two Thirds of Senators
Present Must Vote for
Pact Or 1t Fails of Accep-
tance.
OFFICIAL ENDING
WAR UP TO SENATE
Any Amendment Made Must
Have Approval of Other
Nations Before it Becomes
a Part of Covenant.
BY A. {. cELDHoF.

How win the peace treaty be handled
by the senate. which must ratify it
! before the war is officially ended?
I have made close study Of the
subject from historical and other
! sources. Unless the senate kicks over
all precedents and exercises its now
sweet will, here is about the way the
biggest job before the new congress
will be disposed Of:
President Wilson upon his return
home from Europe, probably will de-
liver in person at the capitol a spe-
.cial official copy of the treaty. Until
he sumits 1t officially it cannot he
considered except informally in fI4e
speeches Of the members.
The president probably viii make
an acforess to the senate to request
the ratification of the treaty and ex-
plain some of its features, particularly
the League of Nations covenant.
Then Senator Henry Cabot Lodge.
who will be chairman OF the COM
mittee on foreign relations. will move
that the treaty be referred to his COM
mittee. The senate will agree to the
motion without discussion.
Then will begin the big task of
studying the treaty in the committee
Whether the conferences of the COM
mittee will be open to the public is
question for the committee to decide.
but the chances are the hearings will
be open.
Advices of Experts Will Be Asked.
Experts on international law will be
called in to give their opinions on
phases of the treaty which may seem
questionable. Members of the Amer
fcan peace delegation at Paris, also,
will be called into interpret some of the
phrases.
President Wilson himself may be
asked by the committee to explain the
League of Nations covenant If he IS
called IN it is expected that he will
appear ready to answer any ques-
Jions that may be asked of him. as
advices from Paris make it appear
that he is ready and willing to give
the American people all the informa-
tion they desire about the treaty.
The committee may adopt any num-
Der of amendments to the treaty by a
majority vote of its members. but if it
does so the amendments must he ap-
proved by all the nations which have
signed the treaty-including Germany
il she signs it. This would mean
great delay in finally establishing TIE
peace of the world. so if any amend
ments are offered there is certain to
be a lot of argument and discussion
in the committee conferences. The
committee will be made up of 10 re-
publicans and democrats. Partisan
feeling probably will enter into the dis
cussion.
May Be Two Months Delayed.
How long l. win take for the COM
mittee to consider the treaty is prob
lematical, but senators now in Wash
ington do not expect the committee
will report for at least a month and
a half or two months after the treaty
is submitted to it.
When the committees report, or re-
ports, reach the floor of the senate
there will be another discussion by |
senators who are not members of the |
foreign relations committee.
The constitution provides that two |
thirds of the senators present must
vote for the treaty to ratify it. 1t is |
not necessary. therefore. that a two
thirds vote ot the entire membership |
be cast in it's favor. nor is il neces-
ate be present. If all the 90 members |
were present, Ga votes would ratify /
the treaty.
When the treaty is ratified the SEN
ate will advise the president of its /
action. just as it does in the case Of /
any bill or resolution President VIII /
son viii then issue proclamation
declaring the war at an end.
If, however, the senate should refuse
to ratify the treaty without amend
ments. then the amendments would
have to be submitted to all the nations,
large and small. which signed the doc
ument. If they consented to the
1con4in,,aa or nara 4uron