The sun., 1919-07-19
Four Hand Picked Repub-
lican Senators Shock Him
by Their Stand.
HE RUSHEs TO CAPITOL
Holds Open Conference
With Hitchcock, Who Par
TALLY Regains Favor.
NEW METHODS PROBABLE
Invitations to White House
May Cease-Interviewers
Are Shut Out.
NEW METHODS PROBABLE
Special DESPATCH to TIE Sun.

Special Despatch to THE SuS.
WASHINGTON, July 1S.-Presidens
Wilson learned to-day that the ratifi-
cation of the treaty Of peace with
Germany and the League Of Nations
covenant as single act by the
United States Senate was impossible
unless the ratifying body has first
written into the document reserva-
tions which will remove the menace
to American sovereignty which the
covenant now contains. The infor-
nation was borne home to him by the
four Republican Senators hand picked
by the President himself from that
wing of the party in the Senate which
is most kindly disposed toward some
form of international agreement to
prevent future wars.
At the conclusion Of the interview
the President, shocked and surprised
to find that the power to sway had
forsaken him in this vital hour, or
dered his motor car and sped to the
Capitol for conference with Sena-
tor Hitchcock (Neb.), ranking
Democrat of the Foreign Relations
Committee, who has been partially
restored to Executive favor after last
weeks snub as part Of the eleventh
hour efforts Of the President to So
lidify his partisans in defence Of his
foreign policy.
what Inquiry Revealed.
The White House conferences with
the Republican Senators have been q
great disappointment to Mr.. Wilson.
According to the White House plan Of
converting the opposition the Sena-
tors summoned to the Executive pres
ence had been those members Of the
upper house who, the President had
been led to understand, we're the least
serious opponents of his league
scheme.
He discovered that whereas this was
true enough as far as 1t went, 1t was
nevertheless also true that even those
favorably inclined members of the
Senate were stanchly against the
covenant as brought home from Paris.
and that such objections as they held
to the covenant, although less numer-
Gus than those entertained by Sena-
tors Lodge (Mass.), Borah Udaho) +,
Knox (Pa.), johnson (CalD. Sher-
man (Ill.) and Poindexter Wash. +.
were just as firmly fixed. The
President was told by every member
of the group he had summoned that
without reservations the treaty would
not be ratified.
Another interesting feature Of the
situation presented by the events OF
to-day was the sudden stoppage OF
the flow of invitations to the Repub-
llcans. No engagements with mem
hers of the opposition have been
made for tomorrow. None has been
made for Monday. Whether to-day,s
visit of four marks the end of the
conferences WAS not announced, but
the immediate assumption was that
the President, having realized the I'M
pervious character of the Republican
armor of opposition, has determined
to employ new methods.
The President arrived at the Capitol
shortly before o'clock. Senator
Hitchcock, who had gone home and
who expected to depart for Swamp
! scott, Mass, by an evening train, had
been notified only an hour before. He
arrived at the Presidents room carry
ing in his hand copies OF several
recent issues Of THE SUN. lie laid
the file OF papers upon table and
then waited for his p,rty head
The greetings between the Presi-
dent and the Senator were OF tss most
studiously cordial character. They
met, clasped hands and then the
President, seating himself on n divan
motioned Senator Hitchcock to a
nearby chair and the conference was
on. True to the principle of open
covenants. openly arrived at" the
door remained open while the secret
servide men and newspaper corro-
spondents packed the corridors.
rhe President smiled and Senator
Hitchcock fairly beamed. They
chatted for almost an hour and then
parted. The President left the Capt
tol having first indicated to the re-
porters that the whole purpose OF his
visit was a Qualification OF counsel, bu'
it was not explained just what hat
beclouded the counsel or what resol'
vent had been determined upon as tn,
most efficacious.
Senator Hitchcock. after tho dcpar
ture OF Mr.. Wilson. said there was M
doubt regarding the ratification of tn,
peace treaty by the Senate. He di,
mot say whether the President had toll
"A