, 1919-06-12

that someone accidentally has hit the
truth.
The trouble is that the senators In
dividually do not know just what they
can do in the way of amending the
treaty or the covenant, and to have
the amendment stand without, so far
as the United States is concerned, COM
hitting both great documents to the
w~astebasket. There are enator to-
day who are opposed to the league of
nations as it stands, and to some ex-
tent to the treaty of peace, who are
ready to admit that possible sanction
will come for both documents without
the variation of a hair from the line OF
the originals.
There are other senators who say
that 1t will be perfectly feasible to
amend either document and to have
the amendments quickly sanctioned by
the other powers. This Is talking in
a fog so far as these senators are con-
cerned, because so great is the uncer-
tainty concerning procedure that even
the wise ones do not know today Just
what must be done on the other side
to put into effect such amendments as
the senate may suggest, If there is a
disposition to accept such amend
ments.
Cropping in the Fog.
There has been considerable diff
Guilty in getting definite information as
to whether or not parliamentary ac-
ton of the various countries involved,
ignoring the United sues, is neces-
sary to put the league treaty into full
effect. Within a day one senator has
said that the plenipotentiaries of all
countries except the United States have
full power to act for their govern
ments and that no ratification is nee
essary. Another senator has said that
the parliamentary bodies of all Jul
tries must acquiesce. 1t is, of course,
a matter of definite knowledge that in
some cases the plenipotentiaries' act
is final, but in some cases 1t is not.
The illustration is given simply to
show how many senators are cropping.
1t may be that the senate will sue
coed in securing a majority vote to
separate, for the purposes of consider
alton, the treaty of peace and the COW
enant of the league, but seemingly the
two things are so interviewer that If
the separation mes it will be difficult
to sanction them separately without a
great many explanations which may
so befuddle the whole situation that
the United States might as well be
considered out of the thing for a long
time to come.
Many Changing Their Views.
Not for years has there been so
much difficulty in determining the &C
tual position of individual senators on
any question. AS a matter of fact the
views of many of the senators have
changed from day to day as different
reports have come from the other side
concerning flnal changes in the cove
nant.
Message and Majority Program.
The day that congress opened
the Republicans and the Democrats
began putting bills into the legis-
lative mill. The Republicans may or
may not have been surprised when
they discovered t~wenty-four hours
later that many of the measures which
they as members of the dominant party
in congress had framed were along
lines of legislation which the president
advised should be followed in his COM
munication to senate and house.
1t is possible that this Is the first
time In the history of the republic that
so far IS presidential suggestions are
concerned an opposition party has
found itself largely in accord with the
chieftain of the enemy party. The
presidents message was written some
days before the Republican legislative
measures saw the light. but as the
news of the Republican action reached
the people tw%enty-four hours ahead Of
that of the Democratic action, the
party dominant in congress probably
will claim the credit for taking the
initiative.
So far as legislation, as at present
outlined by the leaders Of Republican
ism. is concerned, there seems to be
only the tariff upon which there is a
wide difference of opinion between the
Republican congressional majority and
the administration. OF course as the
session goes on the Republicans will
develop new Legislative policies which
may or may not be in accord with the
presidential views. but today the tar
if looms as the n big post marking
the way to the field of differences.
Working Along the Same Lines.
The treaty of peace and the GOV
nant of the League of Nations Will fur
nish the hard gloves for the ring con-
test in the senate, but as these mat
tiers supposedly are removed from the
field Of p~artisanship 1t seems that so
far as ~present-day indications are con-
cerned the Republican congress and
the administration are determined to
u along the same line.
The president opened his message
with a discussion of the labor situa-
ton. There is more politics in labor