The Chattanooga news. [volume] (Chattanooga, Tenn.) 1891-1939, 1919-07-19
Weakest Point in Peace Treaty Is
Shantung Settlement, Says Lawrence
OF Senate Such That Expression Transfer
.f. Seems Inevitable.
(BY 3DAVID LAWRENCE

l (BY DAVID LAWRENCED Il
] Washington. July 9.-vt Copyright, 1911!
| Wilson. has taken further steps to, over.
| come recent criticisms that he has moi
consulted the senate sufficiently OF
| that he has. been standing aloof from
members of the legislative branch oil
| the government. Having waited In
| vain for the senate foreign relations
| committee to invite him to the capt.
toll to explain points in the treaty OF
league of nations, Mr.. Wilson decided
to establish his open-door policy OF
yesteryearS and see anybody IN congress
who cared to come to the White House.
Also the president took the Initiative
in asking senators to come to see him.
Republicans and democrats have been
invited. Senators Lodge and Borah
will of course be among those asked
to come. That Mr.. Wilson is adopting
an attitude of letting bygones be- by
cones was demonstrated when he sent
for Senator Chamberlain, of Oregon,
with whom he had controversy a
year ago about military affairs. that
stirred the country, 1t was recalled,
too. that the president on his visit to
the capitol in December was smiling
when, talking to number of senator's.
but he lost his smile when Chamber
lain came along. a4
Today all that is changed, or rather
erased from the record. The Oregon
senator emerged from his conference
with the president wearing a smile,
Never Differed With Wilson.
) Have you buried the Ratchet, in
quired somebody.
Il never had any differences with
the president. said Mr.. Chamberlain
my differences were with the war de-
partment.'
I The Oregon senator talked with, Mr..
Wilson about visiting Portland on the
western trip. The president said he
wanted to go there. but hadn't def
nitely mapped out the itinerary.
There isn't any doubt in my mind
that the whole Pacific coast" said SEN
ator Chamberlain. wants the treaty.
and league ratified"
'HowNabout California;
Il rather imagine 1t is true of Cali
fornia. too. have my doubt that Sen
ator johnson represents the California
view The Pacific coast wants bust
ness throughout the world resumed as
quickly as possible and the treaty rati-
fled" -
II there was anything upon which
criticism was fundamental it was not
SO much, Senator Chamberlain thought,
the Shantung controversy as the Irish
question. #s~
As mater OF fact, President Wilson
is in a position of defending the whole
treaty and league of nations when he
realizes at the same time there istmuch
merit in some of the criticisms of the
document which are being made in the
'enate. Many Of the decisions OF the
peace conference were based upon ex-
pediency 1t is this feature of the situ-
alton which Mr.. Wilson is explaining
to senators in the private conferences
at the White House. le
Weakest Point In Treaty.
1t Is true for instance that one of the
weakest points in the whole peace
treaty is the transfer to Japan of Ger
man rights in Shantung. The president
has told number of senator's that It
was essential to heed Japan's request
for German rights. Otherwise Japan
would have left the peace conference,
and the natural consequence, an ali-
lance with Germany and reactionary
elements in Russia, was not lost upon |