The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1919-12-20
SENATE'S DELAY
 OVER TREATY IS CAUSING TROUBLE

Washington, Dec. 20- Predictions that the Senate's failure to ratify the treaty would disturb and depress bus mess in this country and retard ire construction'' in Europe are being fulfilled in a way that is alarming Republican Senators. The steady depreciation of foreign exchange, with it's threat of curtailing the exporta- tion of American products which Eu- rope needs and which the exporters of this country must sell, if produc- tion is to continue, is but one effect of the treaty defeat by the Senate. Among the signs of fear among Republican Senators who had the principal part in the smothering of the treaty is Senator Knox's proposal to ratify it now in all details, but after separating it from the covenant of the League of Nations. On it's face this would not appear to be an evil dence of weakness or surrender on the part of Senator Knox, but those who have followed his course while the treaty was before the Senate re- gard it as a concession born of con- viction that further delay in ratifying the treaty will bring calamity to American business and a day of reckoning for the Republican cabal in the Senate.
 Senator Knox opposed not only the League of Nations but also the treaty itself. In a formal speech carefully prepared in advance of it's delivery, MT. Knox declared the provisions of the treaty to be harsh and cruel" to the German people. Previously he had sought the passage of a resolu-
 ton to dissociate the treaty from the covenant of the League of Nations.
 In addition to his change of view with regard to the treaty-which he is now willing to accept in all it's prescriptions - Senator Knox has moved far enough from his former position to suggest that the United States become consulting member of the League of Nations. Demo- cratic nmentators do not regard this as a. big concession, of course, but they appreciate it's importance when read in connection with the Senator's previous hostility to both the treaty and the League.
 No one expected MT. Knox to re- verse himself over night, or at all. He hasn't yet about faced" but he has certainly executed a right face''- with his eyes in the direction of a full turn. Senator Lodge continues to employ the language of opposition, but his manner is that of one who has concession in the back of his mind, in the opinion of those who have watch ed his recent rnaneuvers. In one of the latest discussions of the treaty in the Senate MT. Lodge affected to scout the connection between the re- jection of the treaty and the decline of foreign exchange, but it was ap- parent that it realized the result to himself and others of a popular be- lief that there is a relation between the two.
 Other Republican Senators appear to be disconcerted by the ruinous fall in the value of foreign money and foresee it's effect on American busi- ness. It is believed that they are aware that if the Senate's refusal to ratify the treaty Is not the sole cause, it is a principal factor in the present
 demoraHzing discount of sovereigns,
 francs, lire and marks. They seem
 to understand that a further depre-
 citation of Europes money will pre-
 vent buying here and that American ! producticsn will slacken and beget unemployment and financial depres- i sion in the United States.
 | It would be too much to say that the Republicans are showing signs of
 full retreat from their former posi- ton, but 1t is within the truth to say
 that they are planning for 'stratc- 1 gic retirement"