The Washington herald., 1919-09-25

Indefinite postponement OF a vote
on Senator Johnson's amendment to
equaIizc Americas vote in the
league Of nations with that of the
British empire seemed imminent
yesterday after numerous confer
ences among Senators.
It is possible that definite action
on the amendment may be put OF
until Senator Johnson has had a
chance to go to the Pacific Coast
and explain to his own people why
he is against the treaty. He will
make the trip il it is possible for
him to get away.
Senator johnson was assaiIed on
all sides yesterday with pleas for a
postponement. He was urged by
Senators on his own side as well as
by several Democrats to make no
irpmediate move toward bringing
up the amendment and demanding
vote on it. Most of the appeals
NaAht II Ohi iNVpoDlhIdh
who would vote for the amendment
II forced to. but who would like to
get out OF voting on tho amendment
IL they could.
viii Demand Vote.
The Democratic appeals were
from Senator's who at heart would
like to support the amendment, but
who prefer to wait until President
; Wilson gets back and gives them
some substantial reason to bolster
up their voting against it.
Senator Johnson conferred during
the day with Senators Lodge, Knox,
Brandegee. Borah, Reed. Penrose,
McNary and others. He declined to
make any statement whatever as to
what transpired at these confer
Senators who conferred with him.
But Senator johnson did announce
with striking emphasis that if any
Senators thought the treaty fight
was going to pass without a vote on
his amendment those Senators will
be badly fooled. Every member of
the Senate, whether Republican or
Democrat. is going to be told Just
what vote against the amendment
means and is going to be called
upon to say by his vote whether he
believes the United States should
take only one vote in the league of
/ nations while tho British Empirc
has six.
/ The situation now with respect to
the amendment is exceedingly pre-
CariouS. There arc not enough
votes at this time to put it through.
Several of those wnom it was
I thought might support the amend
ment declared today they would
vote against it, These include As
hurst. of Arizona. Hokc Smith. Of
Georgia. Trammrl, of Florida, and
Shields, of Tennessee. 1t is be-
lieved that Walsh. of Massachu-
sets, Reed. of Missouri. Gore of
Oklahoma. and Thomas. Of Colo
RADIO. will support it.
Republicans Dodsing Issue.
But the greatest opposition which
ccndlOT JOnnSOn mas 10 contend
with is among Senators of his own
party, who for various reasons are,
to speak plainly. afraid of the
amendment. Some of these Sena-
tors are trying to meet the uues-
ton involved in the amendment by
reservation, despite the fact that
Senator Lodge, Senator Fall and
others have decisively stated that
the question is one which can be
met only by an amendment. Other
Senators on the Republican side are
hoping that by delaying action on
the amendment new situation
may arise which will enable them
to either vote against it or evade
vote altogether.
Senator Walter Edge of New Jer-
sey is one of those who are lean
ing to the hope that the question
involved in the johnson amendment
may be settled by a reservation so
that it would not necessitate re-
submission of the treaty to other
powers. He prepared a reservation
which he submitted to other SEN
ators.
Senator Johnson will never con-
sent to the substitution of this or
any other form of reservation for
his amendment.