New-York tribune., 1919-06-28
3 Republicans
Desert Camp
OF League Men
Continued from page 1

has been supporting the league of ma
tlons, and he is the vice-president o1
the Kansas branch of the League tc
Enforce Peace.
The probability seems to be nov
that the only Republican who can be
depended upon to vote with the ad-
ministration against any form of reser-
vatlons to the league of nations is
Senator McCumber, of North Dakota
although the Democrats are also CLAIM
ing Senator McNary, Of Oregon.
Reed With Republicans
1t is conceded by the Administration
men that Senator Reed, of Missouri
will vote for any reservation to the
league or any amendment which, in his
opinion, would weaken it. The Repub
icans also say that Senator Gore. of
Oklahoma, will vote with them for the
reservations.
Both of these Democrats. with Sem
ator Borah on the Republican side, are
opposed to any form of league of ma
tlons and are counted on to vote
against ratification of the league
covenant, no matter how it may be
amended or what reservations are
adopted. At the same time the logical
course of opponents of the league is
to vote for every softening amendment
or reservation, especially since the Re-
publican leadership seems to have def
nltely taken the stand that some sort
OF league must be permitted.
Il am for league of nations and
have been all along" Senator Spencer
said to-day. "But I have always main
tanned that the league should safe
guard American interests, indepen-
dence and traditional policies. Neither
directly or indirectly should the con-
stltutional power of Congress to say
whether the army and navy of the
United States shall be used in a for
eign war be abridged.
Will Vote for Reservations
II would have voted against the
Knox resolution if it had come to a
vote because it was entirely out Of
sympathy with the league Of nations
idea. In turn / shall vote for reserva-
tlons to the league covenant, especially
to Section 10. l favor league, but
| could not favor a league that would
bind the United States to the sweeping
guarantee and pledge proposed under
Section 10, as now worded. | want
to see reservations explicitly protect
American independence and traditional
policies"
Senator Spencer was asked what he
would do II the Senate should reject
any reservations to Section 10.
"ln that event-an event don't be-
lleve will ever come about, because I
such reservation-I would be forced
to vote against the league of nations.
much as l believe and am in sympathy
with the league of nations idea. /
could never vote for the league cove
nant with Section 10 standing as it
does to-day, without a reservation safe
guarding expressly to Congress the
sole right in every event of determine
ing whether the armed forces of the
nation should be used l want my po-
sltlon on that made plain"
Deems Reservation Sufficient
Senator Spencer said he did not favor
striking Section 10 from the league
covenant entirely as proposed by ex-
Senator Root. That course, he said,
would constitute such an amendment
to the league that it would force re-
opening of the peace conference and
thus delay peace. A reservation could
be drawn, he said, safeguarding in
every way the interests Of the Tilted
States, which would not force reopen
ing the negotiations and which would
not delay peace. Quite the contrary,
he said, If friends Of the league Of
nations opposed such a reservation.
which the majority Of the people of
the nation wanted and would insist
upon, they in turn would be respon-
slble for delaying peace.
=, 1T was pointed out to Senator
Spencer that President Wilson and
other league advocates were taking
the position that reservations would be
tantamount TO amendments and be
fatal to the entire peace treaty.
ANYBODY who takes that position is
wrong" Senator Spencer replied. "It
is in direct contradiction to every
precedent OF American history-an un-
broken, line of precedents going back
more than 100 years. There isn't any
question OF the power Of the Senate
TO make such reservations as it deems
necessary to any treaty itself.
wy position can be summed up
briefly thus: | am for prompt ratifca-
tion OF the peace treaty and league
covenant, but the league covenant to
garry reservations safeguarding our ma
tlonal interests and the constitutional
war making power of Congress alone"
Democrats Fight Compromise
Democratic Leader Hitchcock. how
ever. IS most optimistic. He gave out
the following interview:
NO compromise whatever is pos
slble on the league of nations. The
Democrats will not consent to any
proposition of that kind.
1T has become thoroughly apparent
that the Republicans will accomplish
nothing by their opposition. They will
go all up and down the fence trying to
pull OFT the pickets but will be unable
to remove one of them. They never
can obtain a majority for the Knox
resolution, the Fall resolution, the
Sherman resolution, or any of the
reservations suggested by ex-senator
Root. These will be voted down bv
the Democrats with. the assistance of
Republicans. 1t is certain that there
will be more than two Republicans who
vii! aid us in accomplishing this result.
when all efforts in the direction Of
of amendment or reservation have
failed, the treaty will be ratified by
substantial majority In my opinion
not more than fifteen Republicans and
one Democrat will vote against ratifica-
ton.
"Not only are the league opponents
divided in their councils, but there has
grown up among them lots of personal
feeling as the result of their differ
ences,
Senator Lodge, in trying to keen