Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1919-12-24
CONF PROMISE NEAR
BOTH SIDES THINK,
HITCHCOCK SURE
Root Presses Republicans to Sub
NIT Treaty Proposals to
President.
BRYAN NOW TAKING PART

Washington. Dec. 24--Senators Lodge
and Hitchcock, leaders of the Republican
and Democratic parties in the Senate
take strikingly divergent views on the
probabilities OF the Peace Treaty situa-
ton.
While Senator Lodge expects Demo
Gratis to come over soon to the Lodg &c
reservations, or their substance, Senator
Hitchcock takes the view that Republican
mild rcservationists will force the Lodge
reservatiouists into line for a compro-
mise, which will then I've accepted by
the Democrats.
Both Senators, however, agreed ycster-
day that compromise WIS on the way,
and they gave strong indications of bclng
willing to let other Senators do most OF the
preliminary work without the utCrter-
ence of the party leaders.
Senator Lodge said he was constrained
20 believe that the Democrats must In
the end accept substantially the Lodge
reservations hy the fact that, though
many compromise movements were under
way among Democrats, nothing concrete
had developed from any of them so far.
In Mir Lodges view. the Democrats are
hopelcssly divided as to what they want,
and arc getting further apart In the
end, he thinks, they will find that the
Lodge reservations offer the most aC-
ecptahle common ground.
LODGE SENT FoR UNDERWOOD.
MIR. Lodge said that in his conference
with Senator Underwood Monday they
discussed the treaty only in the most
general way Other information showed
that Dir Underwood went TO Mir. Lodges
office at the lattcrs request, and IT was
stated IN addition that Mr. Lodge made
definite proposal to Mir. Underwood.
Senator Lodge denied this, and as MIR.
Underwood has left Washington for his
home. il was impossible to get his side OF
the story.
Considerable comment was caused by
she fact that Senator Lodge called MIR.
Underwood into conference instead Of
Senator Hitchcock, the acting leader of
Che Democratic minority. Mr.. Lodge
had nothing 10 say as 70 his reason for
this Senator Hitchcock was as much
suJprlsod as any one 20 learn of the con-
ference.
In his discussion Of the situation,
Senator Lodge said he was afraid
President Wilson would reject any sort
Of compromise which the Senate might
submit 10 him He also saw William J.
Prvans hand m the situation he said.
although Democratic senators declined
20 scknow ledge that Mir Bryan was
doing anything in connection with the
efforts 10 get the tresty disposed Of
Senator Lodge conferred for an hour
yesterday with Senator Lonroot, mud
roservationist Both were extremely ret
ics,nt concerning the discussion.
EXPECTS RFrCHIICtNs TO LEAD.
Senator Hitchcock said that he cx-
ported Republican mild res. Tvationists
t. take the initiative, and perhaps 70
write the compromise which will finally
prove acceptable
"Thev viii take the initiative" nc
continued, because they do not want to
he put in the pcsition--or at least some
Republicl senators do not-of accrpt-
Iag anything " hIch comes from the
Democratic side. They do not want the
Democrats 70 make proposals 10 them.
The numerous confcrences which the
Republicans are holding undoubtedly
mean that they are preparing 20 submit
proposals first to the supporters Of the
Lodge reservations, and when they have
accepted the compromise then 10 the
Democrats
Senator Hitchcock said he thought it
was extremely likely that Senator Lodge /
would not take a very active part IN
early negotiations, because Of the fact /
that his attitude toward various proposals I
had created resentment among some
members OF his party, thus making it
harder for him to unite all the Republicans I
on a compromisp Nir Hitchcock point /
ed out that Senator Lodge had taken up
IN turn the proposals Of Senators Fall and /
Knox which are strongly opposed by I
many Republican senators who do not /
believe that the war can ne ended by /
Congressional resolutions and who are /
opposed to separating the treaty and the /
league covenant If 1t can be avoided.
M Lodge indies ted that he expected /
TO let matters take whatever course
they would FOR > time.
Mild reserva tlonIsts, however, are de-
termined that MIR. Lodge shall cooper
ate In getting the compromise worked |
out. They explained today that they I
told him in no uncertain terms st hIs home
on Sunday that not only must he not
with the work of compromisers,
but he must aid it.
The Lodge-Underwood conference was
3 direc! result, the mild reservationists
say, and they expect the Republican
leaders to 60 on conferring with Demo
Gratis.
Ehhu Root and other prominent men
close 10 financial interests have been
writing TO Senators, including MIR. Lodge,
within the last ten days, urging that they
unbend q i'ttle from the inhexbilitY
which has marked their attitude, and
ct least put some compromise ratification |
before President Wilson Mr. Root, it
is stated, has urged this course strongly
on Republican members Of the Senate,
both ID writing and Ii person.