The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1919-11-23

Washington, November 22.-(SpeciaL)-
Contrary to contention of Senator Lodge
and belief of a great many people of .the
United States. the treaty with Germany,
including the League of Nations cove
nant is not dead
Technically, it is as much alive as it
ever was. It is not ratified. But it
still Ponds before the senate and win
Scontinue there to pend until either the
President voluntarily withdraws it. or
the senate, by a two-thirds majority
vote, refers it again to the committee
from which it came
The chances are that the President
VIII withdraw it and resubmit shortly
after the beginning of the regular ses-
sion in December 1t would then go to
committee and on account of the ami
mostly of Chairman Lodge and his CO.
horts, it would long remain in the hands
OF the committee. If it was ever again
: presented to the senate, all the work
that has been homework lasting from
May to the present date-would have to
be done again. And in the meantime,
the country, in a technical sense. would
still be. at war with Germany
Should the President refrain rom
withdrawing the treaty, the senate
though aware of its existence, could pro-
coed to other business. AS a matter of
fact, prior to adjournment, the senate
proceeded to other business, and that
before the senate today, for consfuera-
tion as soon as the congress reconvenes
is the railroad bill prepared by Senator
Cummns
In the meantime there is the Lodge
resolution declaring the war at an end
and the existence of a state of peace.
Should that resolution be enacted by the
congress in December, the United States
and Germany would be compelled to be-
gin the vast task of financial adjust
ment The terms of the treaty which
Germany signed would not be carried out
as far as they relate to the United
States, The United States has in its
keeping s75o,0000 900 of Germany's money.
This was obtained from the sale by the
custodian of alien property of German
owned property in the United States
The treaty ratified the action of the
United States and Germany Endorsed the
treaty. If the treaty is ignored by the
adoption of concurrent resolution Of
peace, Germany would of course put in
claim for its money. There would fol-
low negotiations relative to the adjust
1nenl OIL ODDSatlOnS. Germany WOulu
probably pay for the Lusitania provided
the United States agreed to return to
German citizens their $3.50, 600.
Inasmuch as the long and bitter fight
+ is concluded, it can be stated with au-
thority that many of the senators who
stood rigidly by their guns would have
preferred certain changes in the league
covenant. It was their argument how
ever that the United States should rat
ify the treaty, accept the conditions i'm
posed on Germany by the victorious al
lies. and remain a member of the league
at least through the trial period of two
years Within that lapse of time there
would be no danger of war. And should
the United States desire to retirc from
the league at the end of the probation
period, it could have done so in honor.
In the meanwhile, there would have been
period of peace in which business could
have adjusted itself to a peace basis.
The reviewer of the long and fruitless
fight is struck by the fact that while
neither the President nor the senate
Scan, single-handed, ratify a peace treaty,
that very thing each tried to do. There
was never a disposition on the part of
either power to consult with the other.
1t required no Solomon as a result to
Pfedict an impasse beyond which no
progress could be made. With the SEN
ate divided as equally as it is divided
between democrats and republicans, and