The sun., 1919-08-27
Debate on Treaty Is Begun
With Growing Antipathy to
League of Nations.
GERMANY HAS NO VOICE
Paris Agrees Amended Cove.
nant Could Be Ratified With
Little Trouble.
ny LAURENCE HILLS.
star Correspondent Of TIE Sun.

PARIS, Aug. 26.-The Chamber OF
Deputies began public discussion OF the
peace treaty to-day. What effect the coin
cidence OF these debates in the two as
semblies will have on the treaty Is
causing much speculation here.
II is admitted by Premier Clemen-
ceaus adherents. who. like the sup
porters Of President Wilson. are fighting
for quick ratification without any reser-
vations that the discussion In the United
States already has had noticeable
repercussion in French political circles
and that the opposition in the French
Parliament probably will seek to pro-
long the discussion with a view of hold
! ing I'D action until the American Senate
reaches a decision, on the ground that IL
| that body makes changes the French
Parliament should adopt an attitude to
correspond.
On the other hand. Premier Clemen-
ceau and his able lieutenant, Andre Tar
| dieu, In close alliance with President
Wilson, are exerting all OF their energies
to get a speedy ratification for the effect
they believe this will have on the Ameri-
| can Senate. Thus the two parliamentary
situations have become interviewer. de-
| spite the hopes of Premier Clemenceau
that this could be avoided. The long
delay in the commission here Is bringing
out the opposition of the Foch party and
| that Of others and Is responsible for de-
feating the Governments hopes that
France would have ratified the treaty
| before 1t reached the American Senate.
Vote Fully Three Weeks Away.
Opinion in political circles here is that
even II the Government should hold it's
alignment 1t cannot reach a vote on the
treaty before the middle OF September.
| while II the opposition succeeds in its
plans it will be held up until Americas
| decision is made. To prevent the latter
Messrs. Clemenceau. Tsrdieu. Klotz.
Loucher and all the leading figures in
| making the treaty on the French side
| are about to undertake a discussion to
demolish the opposition II possible.
The opposition here centres chiefly on
two points: First that the treaty does
not give France proper security, mas
! much as the League Of Nations Is with
out any force, particularly In view OF
! President Wilson's latest Interpretation
| OF Article X, and second, that 1t fails
to make any apportonment OF repara-
| lions, leaving France uncertain as to
! what share she will get and unable to
adjust her finances.
The demand for a better guaranty for
Frances future safety. rs growing
| rapidly as American objections to the
| league have been revealed. The result
| has been an increasing agitation for the
| elimination from the Franco-Amerlcan
treaty Of all reference to the League OF
Nations. The most notable article
which has appeared in regard to the
effect OF the American changes, which
now are looked upon as certain. Is by
Pertinax in the Echo de Ports, who re-
proachee the Government for having
disregarded the lessons of the past when
| the American Senate rejected the Gray
arbitration treaty.
Treaty Enforcement in Doubt.
Quoting the provision in the treaty
that 1t shall be effective for each Power
only when It deposits its own ratihca-
| ton. he stresses the fact tina. while Ger
many will be held to It's obligations
with the ratification by three Powers
the duty OF enforcing the execution OF
the treaty depends upon the Individual
| action Of each Power and that IL Ia
doubtful II the three Powers OF France
Great Britain and Italy would be equal
| 10 the TASK. he continues.
J Nothing, therefore, must be spafed
to preserve the bond uniting the two
democracies of the old and the new
world. The first necessity is to remove
the peril that the treaty Of alliance now
IL in by eliminating the clause relative
to the League OF Nations. The second
Is to transform the league by making II
| conform to the demands of the Senate
In such a manner that America will ac-
cept the covenant"
This famous puhiicist In this connec.
ton endorses the opinion already cabled
TO THE SUN that the amendments could
be ratified here without any great diplo.
matte embarrassment and without the
necessity Of getting Germany to ap.
prove the amended covenant, becaus.
the latter has not been admitted yet tc
the executive council.
The French papers all contain full &C
counts OF the action OF the Senate Com
mittee on Foreign Affairs in substitute
ing China for Japan IN the Shantunl
clause.
First Breach in Treaty.
The Temps declares this Is TIE frs
breach made in the treaty, and urge,
France to adopt the Willard suggest or
of reciprocal arrangement in regart
| 10 Inc JdpdtncBe III OTuot 10 save tnl
French alliance treaty.
This notable French paper Is muci
concerned over the opinion Of the Wash
ington correspondent of The LondoI
Times that the treaty car1ot be ratified
now in it's present form ~ the Senate
which represents d led change o.
opinion both In British and French cir
cles consequent upon investigat tom
made by correspondents in the United
States.
But the remarkable feature OF tn,
general article in the Temps in REGARD
to the Senate is the suggestion that a
the Pittman compromise probably ha
reduced the authority Of the council O
the League OF Nations. the French treat,
OF alliance should be amended by re
knowing all reference to tho league. Al
the Tempe puts IL
III the Senate adopts the Pittmal
Interpretation would Germany be place.
under efficacious control? Also, II tn
authority Of the council Is to be sborl
thus, would 1t not be wise to amen'
Article III. of the treaty OF guarante
30 that the value of this engagement
should not previously be submitted t
such a councilT
, La Liberts urges the Peace Confer
ence to go ahead and take up the Turk
ish treaty without waiting any longer 70
the United States to decide what It viii
do. The Gdulois says that only yer.
definite pledge from Japan can proven
II 4