Evening star., 1919-04-29
Republican Senators
Said to Have Wished
Only to Perfect 1t.
ANXIOUS WORLD
AWAITS ACTION

Not more than fifteen votes against
acceptance of the e~league of nations
Ie,an are counted upon by senators
who oppose it-not sufficient num-
Der to prevent ratification or the
treaty of peace containing the league
of nations covenant. Fifteen mega
tive votes would imply eighty-hVe
Affirmative votes, and only sixty -four
are needed to ratify.
the national management OF tne re-
publican party-the chairman OF the
national committee and others IN
authority-are expected to adVlse re-
publican senators not to make op-
position to the league of nations
party issue Their judgment is that
the country wants the league anu
that the republican party would go on
the rocks if it opposes the pupiic s
demands. This does not imply tnat
republican senators should not crlti-
else provisions of the covenant Whlch
in their Judgment deserve criticism,
but that in the end the covenant
should be accepted.
Eihu Root Drew Amendments.
Weeks ago Chairman Hays of the
republican national committee TOOK
the stand that the party should not
oppose the league of nations to the
extent of making it a party issue.
E,lihu Root to draw up the list OF
amendments proposed to be made to
The league in order to make 1t accept
able to republicans by removing the
grounds of criticism upon major
points. Those amendments were
brought to Washington and trans
mitted through the State Department
to Paris ten days before they were
given publicity, When released TOT
publication they were sent OUT
through the publicity department OF
the republican national committee. on
the regular forms, and publication
authorized for Monday. March 81.
The idea of Chairman Hays and the
republican management at that time
was that the. party should not oppose
the league as party. but that repup-
Ifcans should offer constructive sug-
pestions and take credit for having
perfected the scheme, rather than sub
ject the party to the responsibility OF
having defeated 1t.
Covenant Becomes Part of Treaty.
Since the covenant of the league was
unanimously adopted by the peace
conference yesterday In plenary ses-
sion, there is no further opportunity
for constructive amendment. Ine
of peace and must be adopted with 1t.
If the covenants rejected, the treaty
Of peace goes back to another peace
conference.
Comparison of the revised covenant
with ElihuI Roots Recommendation
TALLY two Of his suggestions and
ignored four. The suggestions as to
the Monroe doctrine and the right to
quit the league were accepted In
modified form. The amendments
ignored were: Revision Of the covenant
every five OF ten years; inspection by
a commission Of all munition indus
1ries; review Of international law by
a conference every two years and
permanent court of arbitration and
court of arbitral justice.
There remains unaffected, however.
Elihu Roots statement: II repeat
that this scheme for the settlement of
political questions such as brought
about the present war is of very great
practical value and it would be sad
thing II the opportunity for the estab-
1ishment of such a safeguard against
future wars should be lost" Like
wise. his concluding admonition: IF
the amendments which l have sug-
gested are mate, I think 1t will be
the clear duty of the United States
to enter into the agreement"
Republicans Position.
Republican senator's say that the
question which now confronts them Is
whether the amendments have euf-
ficently perfected the document by re-
moving objections heretofore held to
be vital to enable them to accept the
plan. or whether they are so insult
ficient as to warrant them in rejecting
the covenant. sending the treaty back
to another conference and holding the
exhausted world in a state of blind
staggers for another six months.
That will be the practical PROPOSE
tion which will face the Senate when
the treaty of peace comes up for con-
sideration. 1t will come with the
unanimous Endorsement of the peace
conference. That means that 1t is al
ready as good as accepted by all pro-
ponents except the five or six nations
whose constitutions, like ours, re-
quire parliamentary sanction of the
treaty.
The practical situation which sena-
tors will face, then, will be the spec
tacle of the whole world waiting for
the United States to act; with a great
wave Of popular sentiment sweeping
over this country in favor of the
league Of nations plan: with the civil
ICED world eager for peace, demobil-
iZation, return to normal and en- end
to the whole monstrous and ghastly
business.
Calls Demand "Hysterical."
will 1t be possible. senator's are
asking each other. to hold the world
in suspense while claimed dangers in
the covenant are to be discussed.
eliminated from the document and the
covenant sent back for. further con-
sderation?
A wave of hectic hysteria," is the
characterization given the reported
popular demand for the league of
nations, by a senator who does not
approve the league of nations plan,
but who admits that ii will probably
be adopted. He has no confidence in
the ability Of the minority to convince
the country that the league is a pit
fall to American liberty. and fail
ing such conviction is of opinion that
senators who conscientiouSly oppose
the league, will be driven BY pres
sure of public sentiment hectic hys-
teria" though it may be-to vote 4oI
ii in the end, and he sees rltifca tlop
of the treaty, after bitter contfo-
versy and debate.
Cnno&aueS N;a,a,e o$ n.o&&