New-York tribune., 1919-12-28
Mild d'Treaty
y
Senators Ask
Aid of Lodge
Agreement ON Compro-
mise To Be Sought To-
day, Before Bitter End
ers' Can Bring Pressure
NeW lork Tribune
WushiHUtOu Bureujt

washington Bureau
WASHINGTON, Dec. Ex-senator
Lenroot, of Wisconsin, and others Of
the mild reservationists" who are dis
cussing with the Democrats terms of a
compromise on treaty reservations in
order that ratification may be effected,
Will confer with Senator Lodge to-
morrow. They want to persuade the
majority leader to take active steps
toward a compromise with the Demo-
Gratis before the "irreconcilable" foes
OF the treaty have an opportunity to
influence Senator Lodge against COM
promising.
senator McNary, Of Oregon, another
OF the mild reservationists, said to-
day the mild" Senators are concerned
over the possibility that Senator Lodge
might accept the counsel of the lire
concllables" and refuse to take any
part IN negotiating a compromise.
he so-called 'bitter-enders' will
make fight to block any compromise. i"
the Senator said. "lf they should sue
ceed we VIII take independent action"
senator McNary predicted that Dem
ooratlc Senators would accept the com
promise program which is being
worked out. He will confer with Sena-
tor hitchcock IN day or two to find
out whether the minority leader would
consider a compromise proposal prior
10 the meeting of the Democratic eau
Gus on january Is to elect a permaI
nent leader. Whether discussions
win the Democrats looking toward a
compromise will be postponed until
a1ter the caucus will depend upon the
nf n
ence.
Treaty Hitchcock Asset
"lt would be to Senator Hitchcock,s
ment Of the treaty fight until after
the Democratic caucus" said Senator
McNary,. "He would go into the eau
Gus at least 80 per cent stronger with
the treaty still an issue. Of course
that is playing politics, but most Of
the treaty fight has been politics"
Senator McNary said modification of
the preamble to the Lodge program and
or the reservations on Article X and
Shantung would be the basis of the
compromise with the Democrats. He
ADDED that discussions so far have
demonstrated that the Republicans
who want the treaty ratified With res
erVs'tlons will make those concessions.
and that the Democrats will accept the
rest of the reservations without change
The possibility of the Democrats
again defeating ratification after an
agreement is made, should President
wilson order them to vote against the
compromise reservations, was secuted
by Senator McNary
Conditions are different now" he
SAID. when the President sent his
letter to the Democratic Senator's on
November ~ the reservations bore the
name of Lodge. This time the Demo
Gratis would have something to do with
drafting them. and the individual! Dem
ocratlc Senators would feel at liberty
to act independently of the President.
Way Out Conceded to President
The reservation on Article X will
not prove to be stumbling block
m the way of ratification, Senator
McNary said.
. "President Wilson must save has
1ace on that reser alton" said the
SENATOR. Most Of us are willing that
ne should do so. The Lodge reserva-
ton recognizes the Obligation the
United States assumes. The President
probably would accept reservation
that did not bluntly declare that the
United states assumes no obligation.'
unless Congress shall otherwise de-
clare.
81 am sure from the talks have had
with Democratic Senators that they
would accept a reservation stating that
the United States assumes the obliga-
ton to preserve territorial integrity
provided Congress in the future shall
SO determine. There is no real diff
ference between the two reservations.
One simply states aftrmatively what
the other states negatively"
There is no difference Of Ooi pion 10
garding a modification OF the reserva-
tlon on Shantung. Senator McNary
said most of the Senators on both
SIDES are willing to moderate the
terms of that reservation.
Modification of Preamble
The preamble probably will be modi-
tions shall be regarded as having been
by the other signatories un-
less they shall make positive objec-
ton before ratification is deposited
President Wilson blocked ratification
of the peace treaty on November 10,
after at least seventeen Democratic
Senator'S had promised to vote for the
treaty with the Lodge reservations,
Senator McNary said. The Democratic
Senators in question, Mr.. McNary add
ed, had signed a pledge to Oscar S.
Straus, of the League to Enforce Peace.
that they would vote to ratify with the
Lodge reservations. Presidnt Wilson'S
note to Senator Hitchcock, urging that
all friends of the treaty vote against
it if these reservation were adopted.
prevented these Administration Sena-
tors from carrying out their pledge to
Mr.. Straus.
Says Wilson Defeated Treaty
"The treaty would have been ratified
on November 10 is the President had
not written his letter TO Senator Hitch
cock Mr.. McNary said "When Mr.
Straus showed me the list he had the
written pledges of seventeen Democrats
who had said they would accept the
Lodge reservations in order to get the
treaty ratified. Later he told me that
enough Democrats had lined up in sup
port OF the reservations to assure ratifi-
cation.
"The Democrats finally were to accept
the lsNge reservations, but they decided
p yoEa against them when the Presi-
u - y f,Il H. d