The spectator., 1919-06-13
By EDWARD B. CLARK.


 Washing gton.-It is believed to be the Intention of President Wilson to stick to the precedent which he established and t0 deliver In person the treaty of peace and the covenant of the league of nations 10 the United States sen ate, ind to accompany the presenta- fion with speech of elucidation and indorseuent.
 Already summary of the covenant af the league of nations and the peace fertns have been given to the American people, but the pacts as they have been written in eNtenso probably will be nAatis public only when the president appears before the senate.
 The means of making and of secur- inS ratification of peace treaties and international pacts of all kinds is of paFticsalar interest today. In fact, it is of greater interest so some of the senators seem to think, than anything In connection with foreign affairs has bsseu silce President Monroe put forth shss slocErine which has become his Sorie-
 As soon as the president has ex- p,ifsnesi from his point of view all the stctsons 0f the treaty. and of the cove nanf which really has been made q part of the treaty, Senator Henry 'aonT Lodge, Republican chairman of rne committee on foreign relations, ~aB sfA@ke motion to have the treaty foefsf-STa} to the committee over which he prssides. This motion will be agreed Tn unanimously, because such is the regular procedure.
 Aadass Committee to Pass cn 1t.
 MI Inc committee there will be hours of study and debate given to the sub. jecr Tn hand Ii is expected that in a iarGe measure the committee proceed i1sss aili take on the semblance of n court Experts on international af- fairs and on constitutional law will be summoned 10 bear testimony. It is even possible that the president of the limited States may be called into con- ferenee tN give further explanation of some parts of the document in contro- TSsraY- The sessions of the foreign re- }ati9ns committee will be executive and not until a report is made to the scnate will the public have full knowl- cedge of what is going on.
 < There has been much discussion as 10 whether CT not the senate has the power to amend the treaty. There is also a question as to whether or not the sSeHate has the power to separate the tseaiy from the covenant of the leagues of nations and to consider the twu things separately.
 When the report of the committee is laid before the senate the first tests will come which will tend to show wfiak the final fate of the document Is Tn be- Party lines will be ignored, be- cause There are Democratic as well as Republican opponents of the treaty and covenant as they stand. It may be that rlle ma ajority report of the foreign relations committee will contain amendments to the treaty If the mi norisy report contains no amendments, hut accepts the documents as they are. ftie. seagate could sanction the treaty and else covenant by the acceptance of fine minority report.
 It takes two-thirds majority of the United States senate to ratify q treaty. 0ut so far as the proceedings on the floor are concerned a majority Is suffi- cfeng to amend. It is for this reason that amendments will be fought for Ansf against just as hard as for or against fhe treaty itself.
 "As Soon as Possible"
 There is in the Constitution of the United States q specification that all pssscss treaties must be ratified "as soon as possible" Just how long "as s0nu as possible" win mean in the present case it is hard to forecast. Ger tain It is that 1t will take consid- erabse time for the senate to get through with the business in hand. It must be remembered that the treaty is q long one, 90,000 words in length, in fact. The limitations of human en- tiurance and mental acumen therefore will prevent Il quick consideration and adoption or rejection of the document
 An authority has said this concern ing possible senate procedure:
 IF Nhe Scuite Sllouiu ueleTlulHe IO amend the treaty and if, also. other nations parties to the treaty should faiI f0 concur, the result would be no treaty nt all and new peace confer ence would have to be called In case m amendments are made, the treaty finally will come up for ratification in the form in which it is presented
 Senators Themselves in Doubt.
 The fog which enveloped two United SEates nviators on their approach to aAe coast of the Azores was no thicker than that which envelops the United States senate to cover up the details af prospective action concerning the fremty 0f peace and covenant of the Te~gsse If nations.
 Literally thousands of sheets have n@en covered with writings concerning tnIn Infcutions of the senate in these ou9n hieh matters. and yet confessed