The sun., 1919-08-31
LITTLE is EXPECTED
FROM WILSON TOUR
Allied Governments Believe
Treaty Is Sure to Be
Amended.
OFTEN DONE BY SENATE
Article X. Of Mexican Pact of
1848 Was Stricken Out
Entirely.
Special Despatch to Tn. suS.

WASHINGTON. Aug. so.-with Presi-
dent Wilson about to begin his tour OF
the country on behalf of the peace treaty
and the League of Nations covenant,
opinion has crystallized In diplomatic
circles that little change can be expected
in so far as chances of ratification with
out amendment are concerned. Neither
Great Britain nor France, nor Italy, nor
japan now entertains serious hope OF
seeing the United States Senate indorse
Without qualification the work of the
American Peace Commission at Paris.
Some of the diplomats here are app
parently we'll informed as to what has
been going on at the Capitol. and fur-
thermore, they have been basing re-
ports to their respective Governments on
an impartial analysis of the situation.
ArgunSs~as used in the heat OF debate
are not given weight unless they con-
form to facts which are known to stand
the test of cooled" inspection.
Look to Precedents.
FOR example, 1t is known that some
of the diplomats are not impressed by
statements that the Senate cannot with
out great violation OF presidents amend
treaties. In looking over previous cases
in the United States they md that trea-
ties amended by the Senate are frequent
and that whenever the Senate has de-
cided to make the amendments there has
been no power strong enough to deter
the Senators from performance of what
they regard as their duty.
1t is pointed out that the treaty of Quad
alorpe- Hidalgo in 104S, which ended the
war between the United States and
Mexico, was amended al out of shape
additions or substitutions written in and,
curiously enough, an Article X.-the
bone of contention In the present treaty
was stricken out. NFs
President Polk, although he was in
complete accord with the efforts of the
American negotiators, took the position
that the radical amendments of the Sem
alto had improved the treaty. and he d.
rected Secretary Of State Buchanan to
have Mexico notified that the amended
treaty must be taken precisely as 1t
stood.
The Gadsden treaty with Mexico which
followed in 1853 also was amended by
the Senate. Diplomats fully understand
that the list of amended treaties Is q
long one. the treaty with Spain being
however, an exception. But in the treaty
with Spain there were three members
OF the Senate Foreign Relations Com
mittee. Cushman K. Davis (Minn.) J..
William p. Frye (Maine), Republicans,
and George Gray (Dem.). among the
negotiators. and it>is well known that
President Mckinley kept the Senate so
closely advised Of every step made that
agreement between the President and
Senate practically had been reached be-
fore the treaty finally was framed.
Because of the frequency with which
treaties have been amended by the SEN
ate. some Of the diplomats here regard
this as rather q rule Of American policy
"a
not surprised at the many amendments
which the Senate Foreign Relations
COMMITTEES Is already ofrerfng to the
present voluminous pact
Amendments or No Treaty.
The consensus here is that II is a
question now between rejection of the
treaty or acceptance of a treaty so
amended as to place America In a posi-
ton quite different from that Of Eu-
ropean nations with respect to future
burdens and alliances or entanglements
connected with European problems OF
the next half century.
Reports win be made to the foreign
Governments by their representatives
here regarding the effect of the Presi-
dents speeches, but the information of
particular interest will continue to come
from the Senate. The possible effect OF
the Presidents tour on the votes of SEN
ators here will be closely followed
abroad. but unless there Is a change OF
status here the interest will be mild In
the foreign chancelleries. It Is believed.
because the fate OF the treaty alone Is
now a pertinent interest in London, Pa
ris. Rome and Toxic.
In other words. the effect OF the Presi-
dents arguments on United States SEM
tors. and not the arguments themselves
will be regarded Of prima imnortanca