The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-09-26
FRENCH IN DOUBT
AS PACT PLAN HALTS
Q. S. Action Causes Deputies
TO Ask How Nation VIII
Be Affected.
SEEK FATE OF TREATY
Clemenceau and Government
Embarrassed by Failure of
Wilson's Pleas.
SEEK FATE OF TREATY
Be- a staT Correspondent Of TIVE Sun.
-.,.i,1, 1910 aU rioAfe reserpcd.

EOnUftDht, 1917 uH FtpNNs Ffcc'ttt'
PARIS, Sept 25.--The Senate vote on
me Lodge motion to postpone debate on
he,Johnson amendme Mt Is accepted here
,s a. Indicative that the League OF Ma
,Iors covenant will not be accepted by
the United States without appointments
ar strong reservations
That this vote was accepted here as
last Is indicated that in the French
cbamber yesterday, for the first time,
.ncb contemplated action by the United
gates was made the subject of interpret
,anons 10 the Government by Deputies
rho wanted to know how France would
=. atfected. These questions found Pre-
Mar CIemenceau and the Government
s,.siderably embarrassed, chiefly be-
oanse Of the fact that for many weeks
,hsv have been relying almost entirely
Cor information upon Ambassador Jus
serand. a strong partisan of President
wilson.
A complete victory for the President
no. been looked upon as certain; for
rhIoh reason the Government failed to
srepsre itself to meet the Issue now
,alsed by its opponents as to how far
guarantees for France. as exemplihed In
he special treaties& would be affected
BY rejection of tho covenant by the
United States.
Most Significant Feature.
Perhaps the most significant feature
n the whole debate was Foreign Secre-
tary Pichon's statement that the cove
nsnt could be changed without affecting
ths treaty proper and his agreement
with the majority statement on the
Lodge report that Germany would be
obliged to accept changes II made.
These things might be designated as
the most interesting features OF a dis
cusslon which clearly was the most i'm
portant yet held In the French Chamber
and which for the first time hinged d.
rectly on developments In the American
Senate:
First, the contention of a growing
element In the Chamber. led by such
men as Barthou, Franklin and Bouillon.
that with so many guarantees resting
On the league as a result of the Presl-
dents action in Interviewing 1t with
The treaty 1t would now be dam
gerous for France to ratify 1t until Il
Is known just what changes the United
States will make.
Second. that the view held by an
overwhelming majority comedies with
another point in the Lodge majority
report, namely. that the league would
" worthless without the adhesion of
the United States. which goes far to
support the Republican contention that
America. being so necessary to its func-
doning, can come In on her own terms
Third. that France relies more upon
The special treaty than upon the League
Of Nations and that Clemenceau be-
heyes the Senate will ratlfy the treaty
regardless OF the action taken upon thu
league. This point Is being advanced
asa reason why the Chamber can safely
50 ahead with ratification.
No Answer to Barlhou.
The Government failed to answer sat
istactorily the point raised by Barthou
that the alliance treaty as drawn re-
quires approval by the council OF the
league and that its fate therefore is tied
Up with the leagues fate.
Tardleu's statement merely reiterating
Jusserand's dispatches that the United
States would ratify the treaty as Il
stands failed to carry conviction. Glenn
eceau, coming to Tardieu's support,
voiced the contention of the Government
that II the league shouldn't include the
United States for two or three months
the treaty would nevertheless be com
pleted and also that the alliance treaties
would hold good regardless of the league.
Clsmenceau has now put 1t directly up
20 Barthou to demand an adjournment
until the United States rathes the
treaty.