Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1919-10-20
s. SENATORS AGREE
ON RESERVATIONS
Forty-Nine Republicans and
Six Democrats in Unity for
Effective Expressions.
MAIN FIGHT CLAIMED WON

Tentative agreement upon reServationS
to the covenant OF the league OF ma
lions, such reservations to he effective
in character, has been reached among
the forty nine republicans Of the SEN
ate and six democratic senators.
The details of the reservations. that
Is to say. the actual phraseology. re-
main to be put into form. but an IN
principle and subjects.
Means More Than a Majority.
This means that more than a majority
Of the Senate stand ready to include
reservations IN the treaty. IT viii then
remain for the forty-one stand pat"
administration senator's 10 decide
whether they will carry out the threats
heretofore made to vote against final
ratification should strong reservs tons
be adopted.
Should they decide to resist rstifica
ton. II would be within their voting
power to prevent contamination OF the
treaty, but II is pointed out. respensi-
bIljry for defeat OF the treaty and the
league of nations would then rest with
them.
Main Fight Declared Won.
The main fight for reservation ~ the
covenant is now declared to be won: n
majority Of the Senate-only a maJority
being needed for this purpose-being
convinced OF the necessity.
Two means are possible Tor phras-
ing the reservations-by informal
agreement in conference. or by the
process Of elimination in voting up or
down the various reservations pro-
posed. In the end, this method will
prevail, IT is thought. The four basic
reservations proposed at the outset
have now expanded into six or seven.
and there are several groups OF these
Important Reservations.
The reservations expected to COM
mand most attention are those relat-
ing to the United States joining in the
guarantee OF the territorial integrity
as now existing of the members or
the proposed league Of nations. and
the relative voting strength of the
United States and Great Britain In the
assembly of the league OF nations.
Shantung will be dealt with In q dec
laration; the right OF Withdrawal
from the league will be asserted and.
of course, it goes without saying. the
Monroe doctrine will be protected and
the COutTOl Oh oOHiCoIlC QuCctiohc "aA
be retained by this government. sub
ject to its own Interpretation OF what
constitute domestic questions.
Commissioners Up to Senate.
Another important reservation will
be one providing that this government
will be bound by the acts Of United
States representatives on fnterna-
tional commissions only when such
representatives have been confirmed
by the Senate. This is designed to
prevent the appointment Of commits
sioners who might feel responsible
only to the appointing power, and not
to Congress, which in the end would
have to carry out the agreements en-
tered into.
Actual adoption Of the reservations
as proposed is expected to necessarily
involve discussion and debate in the
Senate and may prolong final ratif-
cation beyond the early date hitherto
considered and looked forward to by
the Senate. 1t is declared to be ap-
parent, however. that the Senate hav-
ing made up it's mind to reservations
and having spent this much time in
reaching that conclusion, will not
begrudge the necessary time for
thoughtful consideration of the effect
Of each reservation as IL is brought
forward