The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1919-06-25
AGAINST
LEAGUE ENDS
Republicans Unable to Discredit
Work of President
Wilson
KNOX RESOLUTION
TO BE DROPPED
KNOX RESOLUTION
Senator Lodge Says He Favors
Ratifylng Covenant With
Reservations.

ers opposing she league Of nations
abandoned today their plan to try for
atest vote in the immediate future
on the Knox resolution, and turned
their attention to crystalizing senti-
! sn1em behind Elihu Roots proposal
that the league covenant be ratified
with reservations.
me decision was taken as fore
seast that the league fight would re-
main In a quiescent state during the
coxning week and probably until the
treaty Is submitted for ratification
about two weeks hence.
There may be some debate on the
szibsect and possibly an attempt to get
aetion on substitute for the Knox
measure, but IN the main the opposi-
fion efforts seem certain from now
on to center on the final ratification
sight itself.
Republican Leader Lodge in a state
ment tonight announcing that the
Knox resolution would not be called
Ap tomorrow said the decision had
been prompted by a desir~ to give un-
! diYSaet senate attention to pressing
apprupriadon bills. Other league op-
ysct,esas are known to feel also that
action new would be inappropriate
& since the resolution, introduced two
weeks ago by Senator Knox. (Repub-
Nean0 of Pennsylvania was designed
Principally to request provision in
the peace treaty by which the senate
col1d ratify the document and Still
reserve judgment on the league.
am very strongly in favor Of the
Knox resolution" said Senator Lodge
ID his statement 81 think the league
and the peace with Germany ought
not to be interlocked. We ought to be
xpiesto ratify the peace with Germany
at once and then, give the proper dis
cussion to the covenant Of the league
1fs nations which involves the entire
stTsureof the country.
should like TO bring the KnoN
: Resolution to- a vote at once, but after
Spnslltation with Senator Knox this
fternoon, have come to the conclu-
: Hon that in the present situation OF
The appropriation bills, and especially
The army bin now before the senat-,
we ought. not to press the Knox res
osnsion atashis moment because it VIE
lead to debate and nothing should BE
allowed to interfere with the passage
OF the appropriation bills before July
r. We propose to pass them before
That date and shall sit night and day
Is necessary to do it.
essls;sssI am more willing to accept this
postponement because the resolution
IS growing stronger daily and the ah-
Sp1ute necessity Of amending the
league if it is to be made safe for the
United States and for the cause OF
peace has just been freshly demon
strated in Senator Roots letter with
extraordinary force
Despite Mr.. Lodges inference that
the resolution might be taken up Ia
tel, the general feeling was that with
today's decision the measure passed
into history. Besides the separation
proposal it contained several declara-
tons known to be Objectionable to
some league opponents and the Ques-
tion as to what should be done with
It has been source of many animat-
ed conferences. The prediction most
commonly heard tonight was that if il
syere. revived its friends would modi-
fy it in several respects.
League supporters have maintained
all along that they had sufficient votes
TO defeat the resolution and Senator
Hitchcock, senior Democrat of the
foreign relations committee, said to-
Right he never had expected that the
measure would be brought to a rof
call. ~
sssI am not at an surprised said
Mr. Hitchcock, "at the disastrous fail
ure OF the Knox resolution. It has dis
appointed its friends and divided the
Republican party"
There still is considerable sentiment
among league opponents for resoiu-
ton to declare the war at an end in
order to remove from the senate the
onus Of continuing the war conditions
while ratification OF the treaty is de-
-Iayed. It is understood, however. that
the leaders will oppose any such step
for the present.
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