The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1919-11-28
SENATE REJECTS.
PEACE TREATY
s5-+s
Compromise Efforts for Ratifi-
cation All Fail
8 RESOLUTIONS DEFEATED
Next Move Up To The President, Who
IL Expected To Withdraw The
ps Treaty And Resubmit At The
e4Fa. Session In December.

5 Washington Failing after three at
tenpts to ratify the peace treaty, the
Senate laid it aside, ended the special
session and went home.
All compromise efforts to bring rati-
fcation failed, the three resolutions of
ratification all going down by over
whelming majorities. The Republican
leaders apparently despairing Of bring
ing two-thirds of the Senate together
for any sort Of ratification then put in
a resolution to declare the war at an
end.
Two of the three ratification votes
were taken on the resolution drafted
by the Republican majority, containing
reservations which President Wilson
had told Democratic senators in let
ter earlier in the day would mean multi
fcation of the treaty. On each of the
votes most Of the Democratic support
ers of the treaty voted against ratifica.
ton.
The first vote on this resolution
stood 80 for to SIS against. On the
second vote taken after several hours
of parliamentary wrangling, in which
the Democrats made vain efforts to
win over some Of the Republican group
Of mild reservationists, IL senators
voted in the Affirmative and 81 in the
negative.
The third vote was on straightout
ratification without reservations,
which got only SO votes to So opposing
it. Only one Republican, Senator Nc
Cumber, of North Dakota, voted with
the Democrats in its support.
Republican Leader Lodge declared
the voting constituted final decision
on the peace treaty unless President
Wilson circumvented the Senate rules
by withdrawing it and then submit
ting it again to the Senate. In other
quarters there was some difference of
opinion, but the general sentiment
seemed to be that there was only a
slender chance that the treaty would
come up at the beginning Of the next
session Of Congress beginning next
month.
One effect Of the Senate's failure
to ratify the treaty will be the con-
tinuation of various wartime laws
and regulations at least until the new
session opens. Among these is the
wartime prohibition act.
The resolution presented to declare
a state. of peace will come up at the
beginning Of the new session, and is
expected to starr another stubborn
fight. The administration is under
stood to be opposed to such a method
OF legally ending the war, and in the
background is a constitutional ques-
tion as to whether Congress can do
so by a resolution not requiring the
Presidents signature. NJ ma
The Lodge resolution, to declare
peace with Germany, which is a con
current measure, requiring approval
Of the House, but, according to gen
eral practice, no action by the Pres
ident follows. s.5ul
whereas, BY resolution Of Con
gress adopted April 6, 1917, and by
reason of acts. committed by the then
German Government, state Of war
was declared to exist between that
Government and the United States;
and, .@r sol
Whereas, The said acts of tAe Ger.
man Government have long, since
ceased; and, "
Whereas, By an .armistice signed
November II, 1918, hostilities between
Germany and the Allied and Associ-
ated Powers were terminated; and,
Whereas, BY the terms OF the
treaty of Versailles, Germany is to be
at peace with all the nations engaged
in war against her whenever three
Governments, designated therein. have
ratified said treaty; now, therefore,
BE it Resolved by the Senate (the
House of Representatives concurring).
That the said state OF war between
Germany and the United States is
hereby declared to be at an end"
The resolution was referred to the
Committee on Foreign Relations with.
out discussion.
It was suggested among Democratic
senators that President Wilson might
be asked during the recess TO feel ont
the other powers SIS to their attitude
on reservations with the idea OF bring
ing the treaty to some sort of ratiti-
cation after Congress reassembles.