Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1919-11-13

Washington, Nov. THE first affirma-
peace treaty was taken to-day By the
Senate after administration leaders with
tho backing Of President Wilson had re-
affirmed their intention Of voting against
ratification II the reservations drawn by
the Senate majority are adopted.
The initial test Of strength on the
reservation program Of the foreign reia-
tions committee found the republicans al
most solid,y united behind It. the group
Of mild reservationist who helped kill
the committees amendment and the
irreoonci!ab.e group Of treaty foes stand
Ing together for the first time einoe the
treaty fight began.
BY vote Of 4s to 40 the Senate APP
proved after all efforts to amend II had
failed the committees preamble to the
reservation group requiring that to make
tho treaty binding at least three Of the
four great powers must accept the Senate
qualifications. The only republican who
did not swing into line for the proposal
was Senator McCumber Of North Dakota.
while three democrats, Senators Reed,
Missouri, Gore, Oklahoma, and Walsh.
Massachusetts,, voted with the majority.
When adjournment was reached the
first Of the IA reservations was under
debate. and republican leaders wers
claiming they had safe majorities pledged
for the entire group. The mild reserva-
tionists. it was declared, had turned down
new democratic offer to compromise
while the irreconcilabie wing was devils
ing a plan of action by which they hoped
to defeat the treaty entirely. The best
claim made by the administration forces
was that the treaty would be wedsed
into q deadlock which in the end would
make a compromise inevitable.
HITCHCOCK SEES PRESIDENT
The plan to vote against the treaty
and thus deadlock the ratification fight
was declared to have President Wilson's
unqualified support. Senator Hitchcock
Of Nebraska. the democratic leader. saw
the President during the day for the nrst
time since Mr.. Wilson returned from his
speaking tour and went over with him
the entire situation surrounding the
treaty In tho Senate. Afterward Mr..
Hitchcock said tho executive regarded
the committee reservations ~ "destruc-
tive" and the preamble as very embar-
RAISING" and advised the administration
senators to stand by their guns.
The President was said to have assert
ed an aggressive opposition to accept
ance Of reservations which would impair
the treaty, but to have shown q willing
ness to leave the mattcr OF q compro-
mise In the hands of the administration
senators to be worked out after the dead
lock stage had boon reached. Mr.. VIII
son explained. Senator Hitchcock said.
that he had sent for the administra ton
leader to give assurance Of his support
In the contemplated program and Of his
gratitude over the successful night
against amendments.
After the White House conference the
democratic leader declared his conviction
that there would be no compromise until
the deadlock actually had developed. He
conceded that most of tho committee
reservations would be written Into the
ratification resolution and that after the
latter had been killed BY democratic
votes and unqualified ratification reso-
luton also would probably fall. Then
the time would be ripe. he declared, for
the senators favoring ratification with
out reservation and those wanting rati-
fcation with reservation to get together.
BY leaders of tho reservation republi-
cans the possibility of such . compromise
was emphaticaliy denied and II was de-
olared tho group had gone a. far az II
would go in curtailing treaty quAlihoa-
tions
TEXT OF PREAMBLE
As It was adopted by the Senate the
reservation preamble was ~ follows: