The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1919-08-09
Anti Administration Senators
Indulge in Bitter Criticism of
League of Nations
SHANTUNG PROVISION
TARGET FOR ATTACK
Senate Spent the Day In Almost
Continuous Uproar-Lansing
In For Grilling

Washington, Aug. G.-The league of
nations and the shantung settlement
both came in for more bitter crit
cism today IL the senate's cons;dera-
ton of the treaty with Germany.
At a public hearing Of the foreign
league controversy started dispute
relations committee issues Of the
which bcrdered upon an uproar and
the attack upon the Shantung pro-
vision by Senator Watson, Republican.
of Indiana, caused a series Of sharp
exchanges.
The committees clash over the
league grew out Of the examination
70 Norman Davis, financial adviser
to the Versailles peace conference.
and centered in heated discussion
of the attitude Of President Wilson
| toward supplying the committee with
adequate information.
Chairman Lodge, replying 20 a sGg-
gestion that the president be asked
| to come before the committee, de-
c!ared Mr. Wilson never had offered
to do so and had failed to send i'm
pcrtant information repeatedly asked
for. Senator Pittman, Democrat, Of
Nebraska, replied that in his address
to congress such an offer had been
made, but the committee majority had
| ignored it. Once the subject of the
| league had been raised, league op-
ponentS gave a foretaSte OF what may
develop when Secretary Lansing APP
pears before the committee tomorrow
by keeping the witness under Il run
mig fire Of questions relating TO pro-
visions Of the covenant. 1t was when
Mr.. Davis declined to pose AS an eX-
pert on the subject, in reply to a
question, suggested that the president
be consulted, that the committee
members clashed over Mr.. Wilson's
course in the matter.
Under present plans the question
ing Of the secretary Of State tor1or-
row Will be IN open session and, it is
expected he Will be asked to disclose
negotiations, with the league covenant
and the Shantung provision occupying
a prominent place in the discuss:on
! The senate adjourned tonight unit!
Thursday SO tomorrow's committee
session may not be interrupted. Z
Senator Watson in his speech de-
clared the treaty provision giving Ja-
pan control in Shantung province was
rs monstrous a proposition as has
ever been proposed to civilization" y"
and said he could not vote for rati-
| fication ii the Shantung section re-
NAMED unamended and if Japan gave
no more definite promise Of restoring
/ the province to China. In reply TO q
question from Senator Borah. Repub-
iican, Of Idaho, as to what sort Of
declaration from Japan would be sat
| isfactory, the Indiana Senator said it
would have to be one providing for
withdrawal of japanese forces prior
to the senate's action on the treaty.
Japan's claims to the province, Mr..
Watson asserted, was based on one
wrong heaped upon another. While the
history of Japanese interests in China
gave the lie to Japans protestations
Of good faith in her promise to with
draw
Senator Hitchcock, Democrat, Of
Nebraska asked to what court China
could bring her claims should the
treaty and the league Of nations fail.
In that case, Mr.. Watson replied, Chi
| ma would have to fail back on the
ceivea here and elsewhere in past
times when we had an American for
president who thought OF America
first
Senator Lodge said he understood
that within two hours Of the signing
of the treaty at Versailles the CHI
nese delegates had offered to sign if
assured they would have the right to
bring the Shantung case before the
league later. but that even that was
denied to them
The objection that the special de-
fensive treaty with France violates
the Federal Constitution by binding
congress to declare war in certain
circumstances was expressed in a res
olution introduced during the day By
Senator Newberry Republican, Of
Michigan 1t would direct the judi
ciary committee to give an opinion
as to whether there are constitution
al obstacles to ratification.
Senator Lodge gave notice today
that he would address the senate neXt
Tuesday on the league. AS the leader
of the opposition to acceptance OF the
covenant in its present form he is ex-
pected to sound the keynote Of the
fight against unreserved ratification.
The statement from Toxic regarding
Japan's intentions in Toxic reached
Washington too late to receive the
attention Of Senators tonight 1t is
expected to have careful conSidcra
ton in view Of President Wilson's re-
peated statements that the complete
facts in the case would place the
Shantllng settlement in q new liGht !