Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1919-11-07
NEAR VERDICT
Continued from Paae ons)

Senator Fall. Republican. New
Mexico. objected that the parliament
airy situation would not permit such a
vote, since the Senate was acting as
a committee of the whole. Senator
Hitchcock then modified the request
to permit the session as committee Of
the whole to be terminated, but Sena-
tor Lenroot, Republican. Wisconsin,
asked that a provision be included to
permit later ratification vote that
should include reservations. Then
Senator Jones. Republican, Washing
ton. ended the discussion by object
ing directly to the whole arrange
ment. Having failed to secure unan-
imous consent, Senator Hitchcock
then made a motion to the same ef-
feet, but Senator Lodge called atten-
ticn that his motion to take up reser-
vations was the pending business.
After the vice president had over
ruled Senator Underwood's point OF
order, the reservations at last were
formerly laid before the Senate.
The first paragraph of the reserva-
ton group, the only portion consid-
cred today, recites that the reserva-
ton must be accepted by three Of the
other four great powers to make the
treaty binding. AS presented, 1t had
been slightly modified from the origi-
nal committee draft, SO that the ac-
ceptance would be secured by ex-
change Of notes." Senators Lodge
and Edge. Republican. New Jersey.
spoke in support Of the preamble and
Senators McCumber, Republican,
North Dakota and Thomas, Democrat,
Colorado, against it. During the day
two new reservation proposals were
placed before the Senate and, to-
gether with several others presented
by individual senators. will be laid
up after the committee list. One was
by Senator Knox. Republican. Penn
sylvania. pressing that the United
States became only a consulting
member" of the league, with full lib
erty to govern its own course in all
respects. and the other was by
Senator Johnson, Republican, Cali
fornia, relating to equalization OF vot-
ing power in the league.
In his ruling against Senator Under
woods point of order. Vice Presiden.
Marshall made an extended statemen;
of his general attitude toward con-
struction Of the Senate rules as thej
relate to the treaty.
This is the most important treaty."
he said. that ever was presented to
the Senate of the United States.
THE Chair is unwilling to make any
sort of a technical ruling that will pre-
vent the Senate from ratifying this
treaty either without reservations or
with any sort of reservations that
majority chooses to put into the reso-
luton Of ratification.
THE Chair is unwilling to construe
these rules in SO strict and narrow
way that the treaty may be pigeon
holcd or hung up by such narrow con-
struct:on.
THE Chair is going to hold that
majority of the Senate can present
whatever it pleases to the Senate in
the way Of reservations or ihterpre-
tations and the Chair thinks that these
reservations, as they are called. ought
to be considered as in committee OF
the whole in justice to certain sena-
tors of the United States who have
been voting against amendments 20 the
treaty with statements made that they
voted against the amendments because
they thought they could preserve their
views by way of reservation and inter-
probation"