Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1919-10-19
Amcndcrs in Retreat

ONCE more the Senate has repudiated the
~ Republican majority Of its Foreign Rela-
tions Committee. Once more that body has
given eloquent evidence of it's distrust OF
the leadership Of Senator Henry Cabot Lodge.
Once more the irreconcilable opposition to
the peace treaty has found that it does not
and has never controlled the ratifying power
of this government.
The Lodge amendment designed to de-
liver the German concessions upon the
Shantung peninsula to China instead Of
Japan, thereby affronting the Japanese and
making hostile people out Of a friendly
nation, has gone the way Of the Fall amend
ments which were voted down less than two
weeks before by practically two-to-o one
majority. Mr.. Lodge was scarcely more sue
cessful in his demand that the Senate sup
port him in the enactment of his measure
than was Mr.. Fall, who sought to force the
withdrawal of the United States from par
tlcipation in the postwar peace settlements
Next will come the Johnson amendment
providing that the United States shall have
equal representation with Great Britain in the
league or nations assembly. 1t may be
voted upon within week. And if it too
Is defeated, the rampant amenders will
abandon their effort to force textual changes
In the treaty Of peace All other measures
which are proposed as an indirect means Of
rejecting the treaty might as we'll be thrown
into the discard
IL Is apparent from the overwhelming vote
against the Fall and Lodge amendments that
the senate is unalterably opposed to any
step winch Will compel the recommitment
OF the treaty to the peace conference That
oouy knows that the change OF single line
must nave the effect of delaying the con-
summation of peace indefinitely, and it will
surprise the country if enough Senators can
De mastered who are willing to assume the
responsibility for such calamity.
IT may be assumed. therefore, that the
only question the Senate now has to answer
is that dealing with reservations And with
each successive defeat Of the opponents of
the program which the President has laid
oetore the country, the strength Of the mild
reservatonists increases. 1t may now be
expected that when the Johnson amendment
is thrown out, those Senators who are lead
ing the Presidents fight will be able to die
tate to very large extent the terms of the
reservations which are to be adopted
The deplorabc part OF this whole business
is the fact that the Senate did not vote two
months ago as it has just voted that 1t did
not insist upon report from the Foreign
relations Committee weeks before that re-
port was submitted, and that it did not settle
the issues which have now been settled with
out compelling the President to carry his
program 10 the country and to sacrifice his
.health ana his strength in that effort II Is
unlikely mat single vote has been inhu-
enced by all the debate that has been en-
gagged in during the past six or eight weeks
and not vote will be changed by the de-
bate which will proceed during the remainder
or the Senate's consideration Of this treaty.
There never has been so unjustifiable waste
Oh tlme IN the history Of civilized parliaments