The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1919-08-16
LODGE EJECIs
BITTER VENOM
Studied Attack on League of
Nations and President
Wilson
GALLERY is PACKED
WITH PARTIsANs
Senator From Massachusetts
Delivered Address Against the
Peace Treaty

Delivered Address Against the
Peace Treaty
Washington, Aug. 12.-The tradi-
tional decorum of Senate procedure
was upset today by an unusual demon
stration of approval from the CALLER
les following an address by Senator
Lodge of Massachusetts,, chairman of
the foreign relations committee, as
sailing provisions Of the league of ma
tons covenant.
For more than a minute the gallery
spectators applauded and cheered in
violation of the Senate rules and then
when order had been restored they in
terrupted with how1s and misses a
speech by Senator Williams, Demo
crat, Mississippi, in reply to Mr.
Lodge. In spite of a sharp admont-
ton from the chair, there were more
| hisses mingled with applause when
Senator Hitchcock, Democrat, Ne
braska. seconded Williams speech.
| i-.vice President Marshall made no
attempt to check the first demonstra-
ton until It had begun to die out but
later he, twice threatened to clear the
galleries unless order was preserved
f. Senator Lodges address, Itself u1-
interrupted, was aimed chiefly against
league provisions which, he said,
would make the United States sub
iect nation and ended with an ap-
peal for the preservation of American
ism. The covenant in its present form
her, asserted, would not establish
league OF peace, but would destroy
the Monroe doctrine and give other
nations the power to decide domestic
American questions and to order
American troops into foreign service.
Senator Williams bitterly asailed
the foreign relations chairman, declar-
ing that in three months of prapara-
ton he had .worded his address to
serve Republican political ends and to
play to the galleries
There was not an appeal in Senator
Lodges. address for rejection OF the
league altogether nor was there any
mention, of the program of reserva-
fions proposed by, seven Republican
senators as a basis of its acceptance.
ut was learned however that this pro-
gram had been discussed with him by
some ofs its sponsors and that con-
ference Of Republicans would be held
within a few days at, which an at
tempt will be made to bring the
Massachusetts, senator and several
others into agreement on such a plan.
! It was understood the reservation
group felt that they had good ground
for believing that their proposal
would be accepted by Mr.. Lodge and
that enough Republicans then could
be lined up to insure success of the
movement should the Democratic
leaders give their assent
The uproar in the senate chamber
followed an equally tumultous session
of the foreign relations committee at
which David Hunter Miller, legal ad-
wiser to the league of nations COM
mission at Versailles was vigorously
questioned by Republican senator's
about the genesis of the league cove
nant and the meaning Of some of its
provisions. Clashes over the manner
Of questioning the. witness resulted
repeatedly in Intervention by the
chairman to restore order.
Mr.. Miller said he never. had seen
the American plan" for a league of
nations until it was in printed form
ready for submission to the commits
sion, and that later the basis of dis
cussion by the commission was a COM
posfte plan framed from the drafts, of
the various; nations By himself and
C. ;. P. Hurst, a legal attache of the
British foreign office. Under ques-
tioning the witness said he was law
partner of Gordon Auchincloss, SON.
in-law of Col. E. M. House, and never
had any experience in international
negotiation until he was given an ap-
pointment in the state department in
1917.
The witness was asked many hypo-
thetical questions about the operation
Of the league covenant and his an
swers were objected to several times
by Republican members as evasive.
On some of the questions he reserved
judgment
It was the opinion of committee
members: however. that Mr.. Miller
would not be recalled and that no fur
ther witnesses would be asked to
come before the committee in its con-
sideration of the treaty. Some men,
bers wanted to ask that Col. House,
who still is Europe, be called to an
swer questions about the league, but
the general expectation is that the
proposal will be abandoned because
too great delay would result
The Republican senator's who have
agreed or a reservation program are
anxious that the treaty be disposed
of at the earlist possible moment and
it is believed they will try to impress
that sentiment at the forthcoming