New-York tribune., 1919-03-06
President Expected
70 Urge Revisions
Pact i'm Present Form Can
not Bc Ratified Here,
Says Sen. Poindcxter
By Garter Field
NoW )oii' T37hwrs
y dshilDton Buronu

Washington BUrodu
WASHINGTON. March D. President
Wilson, it is assumed here tonight.
will force into the constitution of the
league Of nations amendments which
viii meet at least some Of the strong
est objections which Republican SEM
ators have raised
1t was learned to-day that Senator
Hitchcock. chairman OF the Foreign
Relations Committee. Just before tho
round robin announcing 10 the world
that the next Senate would never raii-
fly the constitution Of the league IN lis
present form. west TO Senator fh land
cr {. knoN. who. with Senator Lody,.
in3tigated the round robin. and asked
him to write out amendments to the
constitution which would mike il &c
ceptable to the opposition.
Are you authorized by the President
to ask for this" demanded Senator
knox
Senator Hitchcock. it ia stated. rvad.
ed this question. nd merely continued
to press his request that Mr.. Knox
write out amendments which would
satisfy the Republicans. and submin
them TO him. There il no doubt among
Senator'S tonight that thcv would have
been instantly communicated TO the
White House.
Would kewrite Whole Pact
senator Knox replied that he would
'oIt
clause and rewritc the entire docu-
ment
Senator Hitchcock d.sc.a.med any
authorization by the President when
questioned tonight. but his disclaimer
did not convince Senators on either
side that his action did not indicate q
distinct willingness to make conces-
sions to win over such formidable
opposition.
The news came distinct surprise,
N view of the fact that at the White
House dinner 10 the two committees
Of Congress the President laid much
stress on the extreme difficulty Of
amending the constitution as reported.
pointing out that fourteen nations had
reconciled all sorts of difficulties and
dlssensions IN that document, and that
any amendment would merely result
in reopening all these difficulties.
Round Robin Would Be Help
This was pointed to tonight as the
first indication which has come from
the Administration of the seriousness
with which the round robin was re-
garded. Many friends of the Presi-
dent-men who would vote for the
league constitution. no matter what
il contained. if the President insisted
on it-said tonight they believed the
President would meet such objections
as those made by Senator Brandegee
at the White House dinner
Senator Hitchcock pointed out this
afternoon that the round robin would
actually help the President to obtain
the adoption Of such amendments as he
may now think necessary. He can point
to the fact that more than a third Of
the next Senate is on record against
the constitution in its present form,
making it assured that the treaty CON
tanning the league constitution cannot
be ratified.
Amendments Anticipated
The belief here is that the constitu-
ton viii be amended so as to safe
guard the Monroe Doctrine beyond
shadow Of legal doubt. Senators
pointed to the declaration Of the Presi-
dent at the White House dinner that
the Monroe Doctrine would not be in
terfered with. They called attention
to the belief of the President that the
league constitution would not affect
such domestic matters as imm grafton.
They say the President is now con-
vinced that vigorous objections TO
and doubt about these points make il
necessary TO make the language OF
the league constitution clearer on
these points.
There was much comment. in this
connection, on the fact that the Presi-
dent made no specific defence OF the
league constitution in his speech in
New York last night. The President.
1T was pointed out, merely defended
the league in most general terms. He
could easily have made all of the
speech. so fer rs a discussion of The
ideas of the league was concerned.