The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1919-03-12
Battle Takes New Turn Today
Following Word That
Peace Treaty Is Near
Completion.
FIGHT TO BITTER END
Some Senator'S VIII Oppose Any
Plan In Connection with
tho Treaty OF
Peace.
[By L. G. Martin, United Press Staff
4

WASHINGTON, March 12.-Fol-
lowing word from Paris that the
| peace treaty is nearly complete, with
many leading articles contingent
upon league OF nations, the fight
raging about the league took a new
turn today.
| Opponents OF the idea will try to
amend out Of the treaty application
Of the league, If it is embodied in
the peace covenant when 1t comes
| up for ratification, Senator Reed de-
clared today.
| At the same time Chairman Cum
| mings, of the democratic national
| committee, in statement on the
| subject, declared:
"The ill-considered talk about a
peace treaty first and league Of
! nations afterward, is persuasive only
with those who do not understand
the problems involved. Such policy
4 would postpone an effective league
i oY-geneFativns,- J, and @it-swoulds reduce
the treaty to mere scrap of paper.
to be torn to tatters the moment in
| ternational interests came into con-
| flict with each other"
Senator Reed, speaking for the
''bitter enders," predicted. however,
that efforts to make the senate
swallow the league plan by so
| Interviewing 1t with the peace set
tlement that one cannot be acted
upon without the other, Will fail.
There is no way, Reed declared, that
| the two can be conjoined so that 1t
! will be impossible to separate them.
I'VE can rat1fy the peace treaty
as amended" said Reed.
| 1--WE can amend by striking out
Objectionable clauses, such as that
endangering the Monroe doctrine or
| American sovereignty. This will be
] done, In my opinion, because within
ninety days this country will be
ablaze with opposition to the league"
! Other opposition senator's believe
the senate could render the league,
as now proposed, impotent by adding
| to the peace treaty, if the league
were embodied, provision express
! ly stating that nothing herein shall
| be binding on the United States II
1t conflicts" ETC.. and then specify
| ing the Monroe doctrine and other
American policies.
Anti-league senators expect rad
| ical amendment of the proposed con-
! stitution in an effort to take the
/ wind out of their sails they said
! today. They regard Tafts sugges-
tions Of amendment as inspired by
! President Wilson.
| They are, therefore, preparing To
battle in the senate to the very end
for complete defeat Of any league
plan in connection with the peace
| treaty. This does not apply to all
senators opostng the present draft
of the league charter, but It Goes
represent the views of the most ex-
treme opponents.
Preparations are being made by
them for the invasion of the rolddle
west and far west, mass meetings
having been planned for Chicago, St
Louis, Kansas City and many other
points, though dates are not yet
| fixed.
Meantime. Chairman Cummings,
of the democratic national commit
tee, today further suggested pos
! sible new political alignment in
! 1920, urging all Americans, regard
! less of their old party affiliations, to
support President Wilson in his ef-
| forts to secure a treaty OF peace
| that will make future wars impos-
sible"
| He contrasted the attitude of Taft
with that of certain senators.
/; There are two classes of senators
who are unfriendly to the league,
! said Cummings. those who frankly
I and openly oppose 1t and those who
| appose it covertly. The former, pos
| sessing a curious kind Of obstinate
! courage, are bold and defiant in their
! attitude; the latter, less courageous,
/ but probably more adroit, express an
unctious approval Of the idea and
/ confine their objections TO the par
! ticular plan proposed, without, how
ever, offering better one of their
1 own. Both classes OF senators have
/ the same object in view They de-
sire To make impossible the creation
of a league of nations. The differ
ence> exists only In the method of
attack
Cummings criticised Senators