The Hartford republican. (Hartford, Ky.) 18??-1926, 1919-08-15
No. 7
VICTORY SIGHTED
IN TREATY fight
Republican View OF Reser-
vations Appears To Be
Winning

Washington, Aug. 13-The trend
toward agreement on reservations in
the peace treaty reached the stage
today where the group of Republic
can senators advocating reservations
received assurance which they accept
ed as guaranteeing Democratic as
sent to their program.
Word reached members of the
group, it was said, that as soon as
they could pledge a score of Repub-
lican votes for reservations to the
League of Nations covenant along the
line recently agreed on by seven Re-
publican senators, the administration
forces in the Senate would be willing
to line up on that basis for ratifica-
ton of the treaty.
| There was an intimation also that
the reservations had reason to be-
lieve their ranks eventually would in
clude Senator Lodge, chairman of the
Foreign Relations Committee and Re-
publican leader of hte Senate.
Would Insure Ratification.
Twenty Republicans, it was declar-
ed would be enough with the admins
tration Democrats to make up the
two-thirds necessary for ratification.
! The program on which it is sought
to unite these elements contemplates
reservations to further protect the
/ Monroe doctrine, to insure domestic
control over domestic questions, to
amplify the right of withdrawal and
decide questions of peace or war IN
der Article X.
1t was declared the information
that Democrats were in a receptive
mood toward such a proposal did not
come from Senator Hitchcock. of Ne
braska, the administration leader, but
from a source considered entirely
authoritative. The Nebraska s'La-
tor himself denied that he had taken
part in any such negotiation and said
his advocacy of unreserved ratifica-
tion remained unaltered. Mr.. Lodge
also denied that he had given assent
t. the proposed reservations
Speeds Up Program.
Meantime, however, at meeting
of the Foreign Relations Committee,
Senator Hitchcock gave notice that
unless the committee completed with
out undue delay its consideration of
the treaty, some independent action
might be expected on the floor of the
Senate. In the suggestions for speedy
action Chairman Lodge concurred,
and the upshot of heated discussion
was an announcement that the COM
mittee would begin tomorrow the
consideration of proposed amend
ments.
Although Senator Hitchcock said
no definite plan for independent SEN
ate action had been formulated, it is
known that the possibility of taking
the treaty away from the committee
and bringing it to vote has been dis
cussed informally in many confer
ences among senators. Both the
Democrats and the reservation Re-
lpublicans have been insistent that
public sentiment demanded DISPOSE
ton of the treaty without delay.
Beginning of End.
Among many senators the days de-
yelopments were interpreted as mark
ling the beginning of the end of the
long treaty fight. This prediction
was by no means unanimous, howev-
err. Some Republican members of
the committee believe they should
have more information before they
act, and two of them, Senators John
son, of California. and Borah. of Ida
no, wrote letter to Chairman Lodge
today asking that General Bliss, Col
onel House and others connected with
the Versailles negotiations be asked
to appear before the committee.
The general expectation was, how
ever, that the committee would not
change its plan to proceed to a deci-
sion on the reaty, and that outside
the committee events might shape up
even more rapidly. After they heard
from the Democrats today the reser-
walton Republicans began a poll to
ascertain just how many of their par
!ty they could count on in their nego-
Itiations. An early adjournment OF
the Senate interrupted the move.
but within a day or two they ex-
pect to have a more definite idea of
their strength.