New-York tribune., 1919-08-17
Fate of Shantung Amend
ment Said to Depend on
Three or Four Votes.
With Result in Doubt
Lodge Draft Prepared
Republicans Busy Devisins
Questions To Be Put to
President AT Conference
BY Carter ield
Ne~ fof'b Tribune
y GShlr0to7l Bureau

WASHINGTON, Aug. l6.-A canvass
.: the Senate to-day. following Presi-
dent Wilson's opposition, as expressed
Yesterday. to Senator Hitchcock. not
only to amendments to the peace
treaty. but to reservations as we'll.
disclosed the following situation:
A clear majority obtains in the
Senate for four reservations along
the line Of those drawn by Elihu
Root.
Senator McNary's twenty to twen-
ty.fve' Republicans who would vote
ior the treaty with reservations
dropped to eighteen when he at
tempted to-day 10 enumerate them.
and this eighteen included Senators
Lodge and Harding.
The "irreconcilables' profess to be
much encouraged in the hope Of beat
ing the treaty altogether
Adoption Of the Shantung amend
nent depends on three or four votes,
which may swing either way. Repub-
lean leaders confidently claim a ma
jority. Democratic leaders are hope
ful Of beating 1t, but little anxious.
q an glad 10 see the Presidents
spine is stitfening," commented one
Republican Senator who is classed
with the "irreconcilables" Il hope it
becomes rigid. | would much rather
break it than bend it"
Johnston Answers Threat
On the Presidents threat 10 Senator
Hitchcock that il the Republicans
forced direct amendments he would
send Senators Lodge and KnoN TO Ber-
lin to negotiate new treaty with Ger
many. Senator Hiram Johnson said:
Il cannot believe he said |. but if
he did send Senators Lodge and Knox
to Berlin we would get treaty better
for the American people than this
treaty negotiated in the ar at Haris."
Two developments of the day re-
garded as significant centred about
Senator McCumber, is the stanchest
among the Republicans. Senator Nc
Nary said he approved the draft of
reservations which Senator Lodge has
been showing TO Senators III the last
few days This draft consists virtually
Of the four Root reservations and an
other proposal not IN the nature Of q
reservation which would place limita-
ton on the power Of Americas S repre-
sentatives i'm the league council and as
sembly. Senator Lodge has not per
mitted the text OF these reservations
70 be made public.
McNary Estimate Shrinks
The other McNary feature was that
".wen-y to twenty five" Republican
Senator's who would vote for the treaty
with reservations. This number was
regarded as so important by Senator
Hitchcock yesterday that he told the
President about IT, Mr.. Lodge, whom
Senator McNary Included in his list,
has sad within the last few days Ihat
there must be a direct amendment IN
Shantung. and friends Of Senator
Harding, VINO was also included, say he
mas almost reached the point where
he would vo-e TO kill the league of
nation. no matter what reservations
were adopted.
Actually. however, there were very
few Senator's to-day who believed that
the President would maintain his
stand OF opposition TO reservations.
Democratic Senators carefully closed
the doors, pledged newspaper men not
TO mention their names, and then sad
the President eventually would yield
on reservations sufficiently strong TO
win all the Republicans save the
"irreconeilables' The "irreconcl-
sbles" Themselves Tonadentially eX-
pressed belief that the President might
yield soon enough TO prevent them
heating the treaty.
But If he would give us three
months more said one of them, Eve
would have more than enough votes TO
reject the whole treaty. whether We
break the heart Of the world or not"
Prepare Questions for Wilson
Republican members of the commit
tee are working on questions which
they propose TO ask the President. Now
that the President has agreed to an
open meeting, with sten0graphers pres
ent, but at the White House instead of
the Capitol. the Republican Senators
are perturbed over the situation they
VIII be bound bv q certain restraint in
attempting TO cross-examine the Presi-
dent Of the United States.
Any intelligent man. one Senator
On the committee SAID tonight. can
with apparent frankness so answer any
question that his re sponse viii not dis
cose what tne questioner really wants
to know. Now, by little cross eXamin-
alton, the Questioner, if q normally
good lawyer, such as most of the men,
oeES OF the committee are, could force
me witness either to tell the truth or
e&hiblt his evasiveness with such clarity
child reading the testimony could
see see IT. That was done in the case of
secretary Lansing TO our eminent salts
.actlon. IL was done in the examina-
uon OF David Hunter Miller But if we
npCllempted such 3 questioning Of the
PRESIDENT, IL would seem in very bad
saste, we would seem TO have no re
sspect for his nigh Office, and no regard
-oa ,. Ihe fact tnat we were his guests.
me President should have been
asAeo TO appear before the committee
N the Capitol. and as peace commits
States"