The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-08-27
HITCHCOCK SURE
0FRATIFICATI0N
Nebraska Senator Tells Pres
ident Twelve Republicans
Will Vote Yes.
SENATE HEARS DEBATE
McCumber Defends Stand on
Shantung Vote, Draws
Fire Of Opponents. .
SENATE HEARS DEBATE
Special Despatch to THE Sos.


Hitchcock (Neb). ranking minority
member Of the Foreign Relations Com
mittee. went to the White House late
to-day to discuss the treaty Of peace
and the League of Nations with Presi-
dent Wilson. After the conference
Senator Hitchcock predicted that the
treaty would be reported out shortly
and that 1t would be ratified during
September without amendments that
might cause the treaty to be sent back
and negotiations renewed. The Ne
braska Senator said he was confident
that twelve Republican Senators
would vote with the Democrats for
the passage of the treaty.
The optimism of Senator Hitchcock
was reflected in this statement which
he issued after the visit to the White
House:
II asked to see the President. hav-
ing missed him when he came to the
Capitol the day before. I wanted to
tell him OF the good news of the days
developments. for regard this as a
red letter day on account of the great
argument of McCumber in the Shan
tung matter. I told the President l
was sure we had big margin against
the Shantung amendment and that the
committee is fastening consideration
OF the treaty. We did all possible 20
expedite consideration of the Fall
disposition unnaturally TO delay re-
porting the treaty. 1t should come out
ths end OF this week. even IL hearings
must continue longer
Little was said about reservations
Tho President has no particular OBJ
jections to the proposed reservations
in principle, except as they would en-
danger the treaty. Most of them are
uncbjectionable otherwise.
A "Choice of Evils"
II think the President agrees with
about everybody else. that the settle
ment was the best choice between evils
IL the amendment is adopted. China will
be worse off than ever. for Japan will
hold the province, and Britain. France
and Italy viii support her, while we will
Dc out of the league. Also, If the amend
ment carries and we are left out, Japan
VIII get the Islands north of the equator
under her agreement with England
whereas she will not get them II the
treaty Is ratified. for the President for
&c her to relnquish that claim in draft
Ing the treaty. AS 1t now stands, they
are placed under the league. with Japan
as Its mandatory, not permitted TO for
tify them.
"I have expressed the belief the treaty
will be ratified in September. doubt
II there will be a long debate or a Sc
rious tilibustar. Its ratification Is too
necessary. Business cannot be resumed.
AFFAIRS settled. even nations cannot sell
their bonds till It is settled"
would the President withdraw the
treaty II the Shantung amendment were
adopted?' was asked.
II don't know" was the reply.
But Britain and France would reject
It If amended and so would Germany,
and we have exhausted means OF com.
pulsion with her Amendment kills the
treaty. The other lions will presently
have ratified it and we will be outside
isolated. We will have no treaty with
Germany We would permanently an
tagonize Japan and also Germany and
they would inevitably be disposed to
unite against us.
See BENEFITS In signing.
Moreover, through the treaty we will
get very much of Importance a large
tonnage In ships, for example. The
reparation commission is the most
powerful body OF the kind ever created
1t WILL for instance, fix the amounts of
imports Germany may have; 1t might
say: You must take less wheat or cotton
because you haven't the means to pay
Thus our commercial interests demand
that we be represented in all these mat
ters.
In violation OF all international law
and treaties we have made disposition
of billion dollars of Germany owned
property here The treaty validates all
that. Germany admits responsibility for
the war but If there be no treaty she
may say TO us. some time in the future,
perhaps backed by Japan or some other
ally. we didn't declare war on you, you
declared II on us, and now you must pay
us for It To reject the treaty will
breed sure antagonism with both Ger
many and Japan. But 1t will not be re-
jected."
The day in the Senate was marked hy
far the most acrid and violent debate
that has yet marked discussion of the
peace treaty Senator McCumber( y. D.,
the Republican pro-leaguer, boldly de-
Tended the cession OF Shantung to Japan.
His position amazed his opponents and
many of the treaty's more thoughtful
supporters. for he cast all the moral
considerations to the winds and declared
that Japan gets Shantung by precisely
the same right that other countries have
in the past secured their concessions in
China.
He made no apologies for the pro-
ceeding but defended 1t at every point.
even to the deliberate Withholding from
the United States by British and French
statesmen after Americas entrance into
the war % all knowledge of the secret
Continued on Second Pd0c