The Topeka state journal., 1919-11-21
President May Again Be Forced
To Take the Stump.
In Expected Battle, Party Lines
May Be Forgotten.
WILL Be BITTER CONTEST
Wilson's Eleventh Hour Orders
Forced Republicans To Join.
Thirty-Five Senators Form
Battalion of Death." \

Washington, Nov. 21.-Ratification of
the peace treaty today appeared to be
shaping itself into the big issue of the
1920 presidential election. Many
prominent men of both parties here
look for a finish fight before the coun-
try with the. voters deciding whether
the United States shall enter the
League of Nations, and if so with what
reservations. In this struggle party
lines may be broken down.
Should the senate fail to ratify be-
fore the 1920 fight gets under way,
there will be a clear cut issue with
President Wilson possibly again forced
to take the stump in support of the
treaty, it was predicted.
President Wilson threw down the
gauntlet when he wrote to Senator
Hitchcock, on the eve of the senate
ballot, the note that the Lodge res
ervations would nullify the treaty
This change. according to Republican
senators today, forced the entire ma
jority party to rally around Lodge.
This is the explanation of the un-
broken front which Lodge put up dur
ing the battle in the final hours of the
extra session. 1t was known that
mild reservationists' on the Republi-
can side were ready to support Hitch
cock in certain compromise proposals
but when the president attacked
Lodge all the Republicans resolved to
stick with their leader, altho in some
previous stages of the fight they had
opposed him.
Repeat Bitter Contest
Indications today were that a bitter
contest will start when the treaty
comes up again next session. By it's
action in refusing to ratify the senate
wiped the slate clean and will have to
| begin all over again. The treaty will
go to the foreign relations committee
first.
The crucial struggle will come with
in the committee this time, according
to present plans. The treaty will not
be reported out until reservations have
been agreed upon which will meet the
approval of two-thirds of the senate.
| Proceedings on the senate floor will
be cut and dried, it is expected. Within
the comSnitteeI| r Repu blieans of the
Johnson-Bora h 4Moses-K -Knox group will
try to shelve the pact. ~
The real issue at the polls, according
| to the outlook today, will be whether
| the treaty is to be reported out of the
committee or permitted to lie there
/ forever. Candidates will stand for one
| or the other of these courses, it was
predicted, and the people must decide.
| Meanwhile, the nation~faces months of
a technical state of war with Germany.
! "Battalion of Death'' Stands.
! Material for the political orators is
already being prepared. Speeches of
| Republican senators made during the
| last hours of the debate are to be
printed and sent broadcast thruout the
| country as campaign material Among
| these will be a speech by Senator Len
root Wisconsin, and others by Sterling.
| South Dakota; Harding, Ohio, and
Kellogg. Minnesota
| Looming in the background today
are reports that thirty-five senators,
| including three or four Democrats, are
| pledged to remain as the battalion OF
death to prevent, any ratification OF
| the treaty. This is more than one
third of the senate and enough to
| block a two-thirds' approval of the
treaty.
Virginia, will take his seat at the be-
ginning of next session, it was stated
at the capitol today. He was being
| heldNin readiness to be sworn in on a
few minutes notice during the f1nal
hours of the session had administra-
ton forces needed his vote. On nc
ballot however, was the tally close
enough to make one senator's action
decisive.
No Change In Leaders.
Before congress convened it was
said administration senators will con-
fer and it is possible that the mild
| reservationists on the Republican side
| will participate with a view to work
ing out an accpetable compromise or
reservations. Regardless of who is
selected. to succeed the late Senator
Martin as Democratic leader in the
senate there will be no change in the
leadership in the treaty fight it wa:
said at the White House.
President Wilson considers that Sen
ator Hitchcock, of Nebraska, has con.
Quoted the fight ably and sees no rea
son why he should not again lead the
administration forces. Senator I'm
derwood, of Ala bama, whose name ha.
been mentioned prominently in con
nection with the Democratic leader
ship, called at the White House to
day to see Secretary Tumulty.