The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1919-11-18
Voting % Parties.

Again and again the Democrats, who
were on the defensive, offered reserva-
lions covering exactly the points made
by the Republican opponents, but they
were rejected, all Of which Is reminds
cent Of the way the Democratic major
ity used to vote down amendments 70
legislation offered by Republicans. such
Is party government In domestic AZ
fairs and the two political parties IN
the senate haven't drawn any ine az
the s~eaeoaet either, but have extended
their practices now into the oonsidera'
ton OF foreign affairs.
The way things will work out, there
fore, I'm the immediate future is this:
The Lodge resolution contains . NUM-
her OF reservations that are virtually
amendments. They change The text OF
the treaty and would require also that
foreign governments accept them. one
reservation alone furnishes an example
az why Great Britain and France and
Italy can not accept tho Lodge reso-
luton OF ratification. II lie the shan
tung provision, which la something u I
side the league OF nations entirely, The
Lodge resolution would formally with
hold Americas consent from the shan
tung settlement That In Itself mlSh.
not be Objectionable TO Europe, but
| Great Britain and France and italy are
asked to approve the withdrawal oil
| America from @ section OF the treaty,
and to give such approval Is to offend
Japan with whom Great Britain and
France have treaties covering that spe.
elfio point. Unless England would want
60 endanger her relations with Japan
especially AT a moment when the Anglo
| Japanese agreement Is about 20 be re-
newed and would care TO d~isapproVS
| the Shantung settlement merely to sat
isfy the American senate---a course thai
her friends here say Is unthinkable--
the senate might as well give up tht
idea that England and France would
accept the Lodge resolution OF ratifi.
cation at all, And rejection by on'
foreign government knocks out thu
whole series of reservations for In thu
preamble offered by Senator Lodge and
now q part OF the ratifying resolution
Itself foreign governments must agree
In advance to accept all the reserva'
tons.
Might Get It Back.
Two courses might follow. Foreigl
governments could disapprove and tn,
senate be obliged to 60 through tn,
whole process OF drafting other reser
vations or time could be saved by un
governments contemplate such action
The president himself, being conversan
with the viewpoint OF the allies, coul
make n statement saying he would no
submit the reservations TO foreign gov
ernmenta because the Lodge reserya
lions change the text OF the treaty an
he would rather negotiate a new treaty
Such an expression might be approve
In the foreign presa, or the president
without involving foreign government,
: could take Il upon himself to stat
| categorically that the senate by II
reservations has not ratified the treat
a. all and thus keep the matter be
But there appears to be enough Den,
ocrats to defeat the Lodge resolutio
Of ratification. Mr., Lodge said In III
senate Saturday that such action woul
1 end consideration OF the treaty, Vic,
! President Marshall announced that !
intended to rule that after the Lodl
u resolution is disposed Of other resol,
lions OF ratification may come befo'
the senate, An appeal from his rullr
o could DO taken and a majority vo
q alone Is needed to overrule him, bl
a Senator Oscar Underwood, Of Alabam
who IL a keen observer and an 81
pert on legislative tangles, told a grol
y Of correspondents a. the White Hou
that he did not believe the vice-pres
dent would be overtuled. He laugI
y ingly remarked that he would Join wi
81 40 Democrats TO sustain the yice-pres
dent and keep the treaty before L
senate so that some compromise mig
DC WuTheu out III tHe mtSTeet OF VII
lr mate ratification.
But even II the vice-president W.
/, overruied, there is nothing under /
~ senate rules to prevent the nemocro
from moving to reconsider their o,
IN action on the treaty and thus bri
"a the question into debate again wi
"a the opportunity OF offering compromI
m reservations. The country may VIC
Va der who In responsible for the del
no and Il might make up Its mind II
q. the two political parties as at prest
organised haven't been able to co
~ to an agreement on such a vital gu,
- ton as q peace treaty that affects I
whole world, but Just now each pa
Is blaming the other, ~serenely confid,
that party prestige and pride OF op
ion are paramount.
This sort OF business will last throuF
out the voting process until the Lot
resolution and the Hitchcock reso
ton have both been defeated and
senate Is left squarely with the
n Of working out a compromise reso
ton, And then az has happened
ur often before In the closing hours Of
10 session, a compromise win be reAcl
no and the treaty ratified.
fGhnyrinht 1910 nv nayiA Tausrane