Omaha daily bee., 1919-05-24
JOHNSON
ASKS FOR
FuLLTExT'
OF TREATY
Sherman introduces ResoIu.
tion to Have Peace Pact and
League Covenant Sepa-
rated; Attacks Wilson.

Washington, May 23.-The peace
treaty with its league of nations
covenant was debated for three
hours in the senate, today, and at
adjournment the resolution which
furnished the vehicle for the discus
sion went over as unfinished busi-
ness to come up again when the
senate reconvenes Monday.
The resolution merely calls on the
State department to furnish the SEN
ate with the complete text of the
treaty, but as the debate progressed,
discussion shifted the merits Of
the league and treaty themselves. A
dozen senators, including the lead
ers on both sides, were drawn into
the discussion and sharp exchanges
presaged the bitterness of the fight
that is to come when the treaty
actually comes up for ratification.
Opponents for Resolution.
Opponents of the treaty in its !
present form lined up generally for
the resolution and supporting the
treaty draft led the opposition.
There was no attempt to reach
vote, however, and some senators
predicted it would be several days
before the plenary skirmish would
come to decision. The leaders
both for and against apparently are
feeling their way carefully.
Senator Johnson of California. re-
publican, author Of the resolution,
started the debate today with short
speech charging that the treaty sup
porters had something to conceal
This assertion drew an indignant re-4-
ply from Senator Hitchcock Of Ne
braska, ranking democrat of the for
eign relations committee, who de-
clared the president was following
well-established precedents in keep
ing the treaty text in confidence.
and that for them to request him
to do otherwise would be gross
breach of international proprieties."
Republican Leader Replies.
Republican Leader Lodge. pros
pective chairman of the foreign re-
lations committee, replied to Mr..
Hitchcock, declaring there was no
improperly in the resolution unless
it were improper to '"call attention
to the new method of open cove
nants openly arrived at" Every
shopkeeper in Germany, said the
Massachusetts, senator, was reading
the treaty made public at Berlin, yet
the senate was provided only with
a worthless" official abstract. u
A charge that the republicans
were attempting to make the treaty
a partisan question was made by
Senator Robinson of Arkansas. dem
ocrat, who cited as evidence the tel
egram sent by Mr.. Lodge some
weeks ago to republican senators
asking them not to discuss the re-
vised league of nations covenant.
pending party conference. The
republican leader retorted that the
cautionary telegram had no such
and that mot a word" OF
discussion of the treaty had passed
in any of the conferences of repub-
lican senators.
Sherman Attacks League.
A bitter attack on the league cove
nant and on President Wilson's
course in the peace conference was
made by Senator Sheramn of Illi-
nois, republican, who earlier had
presented a resolution declaring it
the sense of the senate that the
treaty and the covenant should be
considered separately when they
come up for ratification. At Mr..
Sherman's request his resolution
went over and will be called up for
debate probably next week.
How long the discussion is to
continue would not be predicted by
either side tonight. Senator Robin 4
son gave notice that he expected 10
address the senate at greater
length Monday in support of the
treaty, and Senator Reed of Mis-
souri,, democrat, who is understood
to oppose it, also announced that he +
would speak on the subject Monday.
Many other senator's are known to
he DreDariur addressea