The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1919-08-28
MANY C0NJECTURES
ON WILSON'S PLANS.
FIGHT FOR UNQUALIFIED sen.
ATE ACCEPTANCE OF PACT.
Many Unique Angles
May Reassemble Peace Conference.
May Pocket Treaty or Refuse to
Go on Until Senate Recedes.

Washington, Aug. Pillow far
President Wilson may go in his fieht
for unqualified senate acceptance of
the peace treaty is a subject of in
creasing speculation N official and
diplomatic circles.
With the group of reservation re-
publicans apparently determined to
write their qualifications of the league
of nations covenant into the ratifica-
tion itself, and with republican lead
ers predicting that the senate will
amend outright the Shantung provis-
ion and perhaps other sections of the
treaty. an interesting Sc! of possibili-
ties present themselves.
There has been no authoritative ex-
preston of the presidents proba BILE
course should the trea!y he returned
to him with texsuai amendments Or
reservations written in.0 the ratitica-
cation. He told The foreign re:a=ions
committee Tuesday, however, that he
would consider either method of
qualification as tantamount to re-
opening the negotiations with Ger
many.
Should such amendments or reser-
vations be inserted, therefore-an
eventuality which democratic senate
leaders deny is likely but which the
republicans sa: is certatn-the ney:
move would be up - the president.
What he would do is a question on
which those who have talked with
him disagree but a discussion of
what he would be authorized to do
under the law and precedents reveals
general agreement that several
courses would be open.
May Return to Paris.
Summed up, these discussions con-
template that he might take up the
question of changes IN the treaty. of
diplomatic correspondence; return to
Paris and ask that the peace con-
ference be reassembled for regot:a-
tion of a new treaty; send new
delegation to reopen negotiations or
pocket the treaty and refuse to pro-
ceed further unless the senate re-
cedes from it's position.
1t is known that the alternative OF
an exchange Of diplomatic notes with
the principal powers has been sug-
gested to the president as the most
feasible by republican senators who
have told him that the treaty never
could be ratified as it stands. The
assent of the smaller nations, these
senators asserted would be obtained
easily once the other members of the
five principal powers have acquiesced.
It is pointed out that the question OF
a reservation to the Colombian treaty
now is under negotiation by that
method.
The possibility of Mr.. Wilson's re-
turn to Paris to straighten out the
points raised by any senate qualitica-
tions is one which some senators say
would be entirely in line with his
course thus far in the peace settle
ment.
To send an entirely new set OF
peace delegates also would be admit
tedly within the presidents power,
and in that connection republican
senators frequently have mentioned
seator Hitchcock statement that the
president laughingly suggested Sen
ators Lodge and Knox as possible Sc
lections to negotiate a new treaty
should the present one be amended.
May Be Deadlock.
That the president might permit
the negotiations to stand in dead
lock by declining to take up with
other governments any changes sug-
gested by the senate, involves per-
haps the most interesting possibili-
ties Of all.
Administration leaders repeatedly
have declared that the president alone
was charged with the negotiation of
treaties and that the whole history
of treaty-making showed he could
halt any such negotiation at any step
he desired prior to the exchange of
ratifcations. The senate, these lead
ers have asserted, would be absolutely
powerless to interfere, it's authority
under the constitution being limited
to giving advice and consent to the
acts of the executive.
In that connection many precedents
have been cited, including one as
late as President Taft's administra-
ton when Mr.. Taft, dissatisfied with
the senate's amendment OF treaty
for rafifi cation