Evening star., 1919-07-20
COMPROMISE SURE
: : 0NLEAGUEPA PACT,
EVENTS INDICATE
Ieaven Works Strongly To-
ward Interpretations" OF
Knots in Covenant.
PRESIDENT HEARS MUCH
Il; IN CALLS OF SENATORS
Learns Objections at First Hand; !;
Opponents May Seek Early
- Vote on Changes.
ny n. O. MESSENGER.

nv n. q, MESSENGER.
DEVELOPMENTS of the past few days
have consistently tended to indicate
the steady drift of events toward
the reaching of compromise on the
league of nations covenant. Whether
il be termed understanding, OF
reservation" or the latest descrip-
tive, Interpretation" the compro-
mise modification which is beng
worked on, as told in last Sunday
Star, bids fair to be effected.
Only a few senators continue to IN
sist that the treaty can be ratineo
without changing the dotting OF an
..i., or the crossing of ant
some of them are thought to be main
tanning that attitude perfunctorily 10
support the President in holding ou'
awhile and for the sake of the RECORD
The majority opinion in the senate
is that it will not only be possible
but necessary. to establish the IN
terpretations."
with the exception Of the small
GROUP Of last ditch" senators, those
who are irrevocably opposed to any
league. 1t is the judgment OF the
great body of the Senate that
league Of nations will be indorseo
and that it will be the Presidents
league with the covenant inter
preted" by the Senate to the satis-
faction Of more than one-third OF tne
senators, number sufficient other
wise to prevent ratification OF the
treaty.
ssInterpretations" From President.
1t was suggestedeysssvs(exath3tst th3t sthe
President, once rs becomes SeARthSsd
that there must be qualifications to
anpease sentiment in the Senate. may
hi,nself suggest Interpretations
,vbich would satisfy the senatorial
: obiectors and yet not subject the
treaty to rereference to theh peace
council.
The alternative to reaching a COM
prosnise, it was said by senators yes
'lrtday, will be an appeal to the eoun-
try by the President, long and Ia
t,vufne tour and a turbulent stirring
mn of the people at time when re-
turn to normal is the consuming de-
sire of the whole world.
The feeling is<still strong in sena-
torial circles, that the President may
not find it necessary to fall back upon
this last resort.
President Wilson is reported to feel
that his conferences with senators
opuosed to the covenant in its pres
ent form have been helpful to himself
and, he ventures to hope. of value tc
them, He was able. as a participant
in tie negotiation of the peace treaty
to give them first-hand Information
tpon many phases of the negotia'
tious which necessarily had bear.
ing upon the covenant.
President, Also, Learned.
The President. for his part. was en-
abied to get hrst-hand reports Of the
state Of mind of some senator's. sucf
ne perhaps he. had not obtained from
his own supporters in the Senate, wht
might have been disinclined to be the
bearers of bad news. He will heal
more Of the same nature as the con
ferences with senators are extended
II some of his own advisers ant
friends in the Senate feel inclined tt
be frank at the risk of being unpopu
lar with him they can substantial
the reports of the others.
Some Of the proponents Of Inter
pretations," or reservations" Of
whatever they are to be called. are il
favor of proceeding at once to theil
consideration with a view to testing
out their merits and their accept
ability to a majority of the Senate
for adoption. The votes to adopt then
are claimed to be at hand at thi
stage of the proceeding. Once addet
to the covenant and the information
conveyed to the President that al
thus interpreted the treaty could b,
ratified, these senators say that thel
responsibility for further delay wouls
rest with the President
Want Public Backing.
They also contend that it will b
ADVISABLE TO nave tne: nature OF IN
reservations thus found to be accept
able to a majority understood by tn
public, so that if the President shoul,
by any chance decide to go to tn
country and appeal for a demand 70
nnreserved acceptance of the league
the people would know what was pro
posed and be able to Judge whethe
they are reasonable or not.
For the present while the leaven o
proposed compromise is working un
der. the surface, the policy of the ad
ministration' supporters in the Senat
is to resist stoutly all suggestions o
Interpretation Of the covenant. and t
maintain that any alteration or addi
tion would necessitate reference t
the peace council and endanger tn
league of nations.
Speeches will be made by admins
tration senators this week thus con
tending. No one ventures to approx
mate a date for the hoped-for get
ting together" as 1t is realized tina
(Continued on Third Pa8s)