Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1919-12-23
MOVES
FOR COMMITTEE: ON
TREATY AGREEMENT
F oreign Relations Committee
Reports FavorabIy on
Knox Resolution to Effect
Peace With Germany

controversy WAS IeELNeu III AlS Iuit
vigor Saturday just before the SEN
ate went home for Christmas.
The new moves for the formal es-
Enlistment of peace, one by ratifi-
cation Of the treaty and the other
without, were the agencies which re-
opened the many-sided fight among
the divergent elements of senate
members. Neither proposal got any
where, but it generally was conced-
ed that the days work would help
bring to a focus early in January the
trend of senate opinion toward some
sort of settlement
The suggestion which caused the
greatest stir came late in the day
from Senator Underwood, Democrat,
Alabama, who proposed resolution
for appointment of a committee of
ten senator's to work out a compro-
mise ratification of the treaty. He
asked for immediate action but Sen
ator Lodge, of Massachusetts, the
Republican leader, forced the resolu-
ton over until after the holidays.
The other move for peace came
from Senator Knox, of Pennsylvania.
a former Republican secretary of
state, who secured approval of the
foreign relations committee for res
olution to repeal the declaration Of
war and to demand of Germany, on
pain Of an economic boycott, all the
material benefits provided for under
the unratified treaty. The mild res
ervation group of Republicans
promptly served notice they would
not support such measure, however,
and it went into a waiting stage from
which the democrats predicted i;
never would emerge.
Privately, the mild group expressed;
much dissatisfaction with the day :,
developments and made plans to so
ahead 6eterminedly with their efforts
for a bipartisan agreement on res
ervations. They made q sharp pro-
test to their party leaders againSt
the Knox resolution and indicated
they had not blocked a vote OF it.
Underwccd's Appeal
Senator Underwood, III presenting
his resolution, made plea for active
work toward compromise during
the Christmas -4Tecess, declaring the
country demanded peace and that 1t
had been demonstrated little progress
in that direction could be made i'll
the open senate. He suggested that
the vice president in naming the ten
conferees should act on the advice Of
Senator Lodge and Senator Hitch
cock of Nebraska, the acting Demo
cratic leader.
Many SENATOR among the Demo-
Gratis and the mild reservation Re
publicans declared the Underwood
proposal was in line with their con-
ciliation negotiations and should be
adopted. Unanimous consent will
not be required when the next at
tempt is made to get consideration.
In approving the Knox resolution
the foreign relations committee di-
vided 7 to 3 along strict party lines,
the only representative of the mild
reservationists on the committee,
Senator McCumbmer, Republican,
North Dakota, being absent.
Before taking final action the Re
publican majority substituted the
Knox proposal, which would require
passage by both senate and house
and signature by the president, for
one by Senator Lodge, which was
designed to secure action by congress
only. The move was taken to mean
abandonment of any effort to declare
state of peace without the concur
nf Wilson
1t was said by the Republican
leaders that the Knox resolution
would be brought forward after the
when Senator Knox reported it fol-
calendar so that majority vote
will be required to get it before the
senate.
In formal statement Senator
Knox declared the whole purpose OF
| his resolution was to break the trea-
| ty. deadlock and return the nation
to a peace-time basis while the con-
troversy over ratification proceeds
Adoption of the measure, he said
would not interfere with future rat
ification if the senate found a way
| to accomplish it.
Denounced by Hitchcock
By Senator Hitchcock the measure
was denounced as a "preposterous'
resolution designed to defeat the
League of Nations. He predicted il
never would be passed by the sen.
ate, approved by the president OF
accepted by Germany. Speaking fol-
the wild reservation Republican
| Senator kellogg, of Minnesota, ISSUED
a statement saying that group ha6
not been consulted about the resolu,
ton and would not support 1t unit
it was demonstrated that ratifica.
| ton with reservations was impos.
Sible.