Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1919-07-21
s. SENATORS BAND
TOGETHER TO FIGHT
LEAGUE COVENANTS
Declare They Will Defeat
Treaty Unless Amend
ments Are Made.
ONLY 80 VOTES NEEDED TO
Z PREVENT RATIFICATION
President Wilson Says He Can
not Accept Proposed
Changes.
MPAssE APPEARS IMMINENT
Republican Leaders Said TO Favor
Throwing Out Treaty and Ending
War by Resolution.
rMPAssE APPEARS IMMINENT
Throwing Out Treaty and Ending
War by Resolution.
BY JUSTIN McGnATu.

WARRINGTON, July 2O.-Thirty- hve
Senators have banded themselves to-
gether to defeat the ratification or the
peace treaty unless radical amend
ments to the league Of nations cove
nant are accepted
Thirty three votes against would
prevent ratification. The character of
amendments insisted upon By these
Senators is such that acceptance of
their suggestions, according to the view
OF President Wilson, would leave the
league without vitality.
me President has informed those
senators with whom he has conferred
mat he cannot consent TO consider
such amendments. which. in his juds-
,. ,ment. would defeat the purposes OF the
!eague and make its acceptance by other
nations, as amended, extremely doubt
full.
Ultimntum to President.
In response TO this declaration from
the President. the Republican oppo-
hents OF the league have sent him
word that unless he does consent to
the amendments which they think nee
essary and proper, the thirty-five
votes Will be cast against ratification.
In an effort to reach compromise
with the Republican Senate majority
word was conveyed to the leaders by
the authorized representatives of the
President that ne would consent 10 Ger
tain "interpretative reservations
z This sugges,ion has been rejected
by the leaders OF the opposition. be-
cause, under the decisions OF the Su.
preme Court OF the United States IN
terpretat!vc reservations do not be-
come part OF the treaty and are not
binding
An impasse appears 10 have been
reached The President has no inten-
'tion OF Withdrawing the treaty, and
The President is indisposed 10 admit
failure. and the Senate majority. ap-
parentiy, is just as determined not 10
confess defeat.
Would End War by Resolution.
Some Of the Senate Republican lead
ers are in favor of throwing out the
whole treaty and declaring the war
with Germany al an end by resoiu-
cally minded. The majority of ;he thirty
five want to adopt the treaty in som.
form. But the President and his sup
por,crs in the Senate tell them they
ratify 1t in n form which would not be
acceptable TO the other nations party
TO ii.
President Wilson has said that pub
lie opinion in the country demands
ratification. The Senate Republican
majority insists. with equal confidence
and emphasis. that public opinion de-
mands the treaty's rejection.
To Ascertain Public Opinion.
Now AS the Republican objection to
the treaty is mainly. that IL seeks by
subterfuge TO amend the Constitution
OF the United States, 1t would seem
that the means provided by the Con-
stitution, for it's amendment might be
taken in order to ascertain what pub
lie opinion in the country on the treaty
really is.
The Constitution provides that
amendments 10 the Constitution shall
become effective when ratified by the
Legislatures of three-fourths of the
States.
If an impasse on the treaty really
has been reached in tine Senate. some
of the opponents of the covenant sug-
gest as a solution that Congress sub
nit the legislatures OF the States
the proposals in the treaty which are
considered TO be amendatory OF the
Constitution.
If that proceeding has been fol-
lowed OH amendments which affected
would it not be wise TO follow 1t on
proposals which, il is claimed affected
the very existence of tho republic?