The Topeka state journal., 1919-11-03
Plan To Take Final Action
This Week Fails.
TelI-Tale Vote Would Have
Been Taken Nov. IL.
LODGE and HITCHCOCK MIX
Proposal and Counter-P Proposal
Fall in Senate.
Situation Now Is Left in Its
Previous Stage.

Washington, Nov. 3.-Efforts to Sc
cure an agreement for an early final
action on the peace treaty failed today
in the senate. After an hour of wrang-
ling over proposals presented by both
sides, the leaders gave up the attempt
to reach an agreement and the regu-
lar order of debate on the labor
amendment to the treaty was resumed
A plan presented by Republican
! Leader Lodge for a final vote on No
vember II was blocked by Democratic
Leader Hitchcock. whose counter pro-
posal that final action be taken dur
ing the present week was objected to
by Senator Lodge.
Despite numerous pleas for prompt
action, the treaty situation was left in
| its previous indefinite stage
| ! Hitchcock said his plan does away
with the idea that mere majority
| can tie up a resolution of ratification
and that if lost the treaty is killed.
We should not adoptithat method at
political convention"
! Lodge retorted that the constitution
! gives one-third of the senate power to
| defeat a treaty, but that it does. not
give them the power to control the
form of ratification.
F.; THAT is matter reserved for the
majority" Lodge said.
| The Proposal.
| The proposal was drafted at the
meeting OF the Democratic steering
committee today.
| The tentative agreement offered by
! Hitchcock has six clauses as follows:
| The senate to meet each day at IL O'Clock
| and no senator to speak more than once
| or longer than 10 minutes on each pend
| All amendments to the treaty to be voted
| ON at today's session.
| Tomorrow and Wednesday to be given
| over to constipation of reservations.
| A vote to be taken on reservations at 3
| p. M. Thursday and the treaty thereupon
/ to be reported to the senate by the COM
| mittee of the whole
The vote on the resolution of ratifica-
| tion embracing such reservations have
I been adopted shall take place before ad-
| journment November 6.
| If it receives the necessary two-t thirds
vote the president shn1l be notified.
If it does not receive the required ma
gRer f l 70
/ of ratification proposed by the minority
of the senate foreign relations committee,
/ p. m. Saturday, November 8.
| Individual resolutions may be voted
upon the same day if the committee resolu-
| tions fail. If no such resolutions receive
! the necessary two -thircs majority it shall
/ thereupon be in order for any senator to
| other business and this question shall be
| decided without discussion.
| New Reservation Offered.
Democratic mem bers of the foreign
relations committee sat with the steer
ing committee at the meeting at which
this program was agreed upon.
t A reservation to the peace treaty,
which would withhold assent of the
United States from labor clauses and
refuse . participation of American
delegates in the international labor
conference was offered today by Sena-
tor King, Utah.
The fact that the agreement pro-
vided for a possible deadlock on the
treaty was taken as another indication
that the administration forces would
vote against ratification if the COM
mittee reservations were adopted, and
| then would present a ratification reso-
luton containing only qualifications OF
an interpretive character.