Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1919-11-17
PLANS TO CONFER
WITH PRESIDENT
AS TO NEXT MOVE
Asserts Defeat of Present
Document Creates Serious
Situation.
CAUSES DISLOCATION
OF PEACE SETTLEMENT
To Negotiate Separate Pact With
Germany Permits Her to
Name Terms.
no ARMED FORCE ON HAND
Also Says That United States Can
not Hold Seized Ships or
Alien Property.
no ARMED FORCE ON HAND
Also Says That United States Can
not Hold Seized Ships or
Alien Property.

WASHINGTON, Nov. 1.-THE treaty
ii not dead. according to Senator
Hitchcock. tic adm!nistration's Senate
leader. notwithstanding the declara-
ton OF Senator Lodge. the leader of
the opposition. TO the contrary.
Senator Hitchcock showed himself
today TO be full OF fight in views he
expressed which practically summed
up the situation.
When Senator Lodge said tie
treaty was dead" Mr.. Hitchcock said.
me meant that his resolution will be
beaten. Perhaps ne thinks that this
would beat the treaty. but i, will not
When his resolution is beaten we can
oner n resolution OF ratification our
selves. II that be beaten. then we
may ge, compromise under wAich
the treaty may go through. II com
promise be impossible then there will
be new situation, but there is Ger
tainly none today.
No Compromise Possible.
III there be no compromise and no
treaty. II is manifest that the situa-
ton then created will be bad. A con-
d!t!on OF no treaty would demoralize
the plan that was made for n treaty
United States. II would cause a
location OF tie whole peace settle
ment. IT would weaken immeasurably
the efforts, to bring about the kind
spect. failure OF the United States 10
act would have an extremely adverse
ehect on conditions in Europe, as the
best settlement, is. OF course. predi-
United states, and, AS ! have So ID the
absence OF the United states would
disorSanizc and disrupt the wcll-ma-
tured plan TO restore peace 10 the
world by means OF the present treaty.
Il think there would be several
grave difficulties in the event that il
would be necessary to make n treaty
with Germany alone. In the first place
many by force. II We proposed now
10 negotiate a treaty with Germany.
tie principals to that convention would
be EQUALS Force would apparently be
about 1000 OF military force in
Europe today. and that under circun-
stances of grave disagreement would
be simply no force at all
Difficult to Get Terms.
1T is therefore obvious that the
terms that we would be able TO get
from Germany in separate peace
treaty would simply be those that Ger
many would be willing TO agree to-
of 'saHa damages TO whe RaY thas Gsrtai9 Is
true, unless Germany agreed to our
terms we would be obliged to give up
the ships we have taken from her
1000 or 100000 tonnage. Tie pres
ent treaty. however. safeguards all
that.
Another difficulty would be this:
we have, say. $500, 900 600 worth of
German citizen property in this coun-
We could use that money TO pay the
claims of our citizens against Ger
many. But without the present treaty
we could not enforce that obligation
on the part OF Germany. Without
rev treaty or one to which Germany
woui" agree. the property that be-
longs here to German citizens must
be paid over to them Thai is. how
ever. only some of the difficulties that
wouli present themselves If it became
necessary to negotiate n treaty with
Germany.
Arn.ies Forced Present Terms.
No one can predict What the at
titude of Germany would he towards
tae obligations she is under by the
treaty now before the Senate if that
treaty is absolutely defeated. 1t is
certain. however. that what Germany
has agreed TO do was forced by the
armies Of the allies and of the United
States. What Germany would do if |
tfat obligation imposed By force is
eliminated, no ono can tell. That ele- |
:ncnt OF uncertainty, however, of itself
presents one OF the most important of
the difficulties in approa ching the sub
jet OF new. treaty"
is one Of fshGoeks F6tne fsr Whole attitude
the last ditch. From what he and
other Senator's said today he will take |
advantage OF every step of parliament
tary usage in his power The fact |
that u commented today on a possi- |
BILE compromise shows again that if |
the Lodge resolution is beaten and
there Will be some very intricate work
by the administration leader 10 secure
n compromise " 'eSuic
Makes No Predictions.
Mr., Hitchcock. however. todav CON
tented himself with n plain stn i;.momt
or f,i, =, the IN; situation today and for the
immediate future. He made no nres
dictions as to the success of his nwn n |
SUBSTITUTE resolution or as TO the fots
OF eHorts Mt compromise e
lie ala not desire to speak Of /, son,
rate peace with Germany excant pa
the general terms he used todav' III
lt was evident, however. fron, b;s
cXpressions and' the force he rave ms us
the difHGulties in a separate tre,tv
that he does. not much relish tbo 'Fen.S iIaoS
lie spoke Of 1t as n possibiIitvv ,uen: nna,:
that could be discussed oniV afyo only
other remedies had died and wcrn
a conference tomorrow betwoon
President Wilson and Hitchcocle is zen zen
pected tonight to det termine largei,,
that rate OF the treaty and planss fnyy |
adjournment OF the special session of
Senator Hitchcock will see tho PresI-
NnTt -