Omaha daily bee., 1919-10-28
OVERRIDE PRESIDE NT'S VETO
Johnson LOSES
AMENDMENT TO
PEACE TREATY
Was Designed to Equalize
American and British Voting
in League of Nations.


son amendment to the peace treaty,
designed to equalize American and
British voting strength in the
league of nations, was rejected in
the senate by vote of 50 to 40.
On the roll call. which came un-
expectedly during lull in the de-
bate, two democrats joined the re-
pubicans supporting the amendment
and nine republicans voted with
the democrats against it. OF Is SEN
ators absent or paired, four repub-
licans and two democrats were re-
corded as favoring it and II demo-
Gratis as opposing it.
The senate then took up the
Moses amendment on the same sub
ject, the last survivor of 46 recon-
mended by the foreign relations
committee. Over the opposition of
the administration leaders action
on this measure was postponed, the
senate adopting, 43 to 36, Repub-
lican Leader Lodges motion for a
recess until Tuesday.
wanted vote at Once.
When the senate met the leaders
had not hoped for vote before
tomorrow, but rambling debate of
an hour and a half. during which
nearly every current subject the
league had been discussed, it was
decided not to wait on the senators
who had announced they would
speak on the amendment this week.
When Democratic Leader Hitchcock
asked that time be set for a roll
call during the afternoon, Mr.. Lodge
replied he saw no reason why the
vote should not be taken at once.
The suddenness with which the
roll call began apparently took the
administration forces by surprise
and although they had counted on
majority of six or eight, so many
senators were absent that a sigh of
relief went up from the democratic
side when the result was announced.
1t was by far the narrowest margin
by which any of the, committee
amendments had been defeated.
oupPolt MoScS.
Il During the remainder of the day
speeches supporting the Moses
amendment were made by Senators
Sherman, Illinois: Mccormick, Illi-
nois; Knox, Pennsylvania. and
Watson, Indiana, all republicans.
Senators Hitchcock and McCumber,
republican, North Dakota, op-
posed it.
Senator Knox, former secretary
of state, declared the preponderance
Of British. representation in the
league was mot calculated to foster
salutary understanding" among the
British speaking peoples and denied
that to amend the treaty would lead
to prolonged negotiations or shut off
this country from the benefits of
peace. Full official relations could
be re-established with Germany, he
declared, as soon as the treaty had
been ratified by three allied powers
and Germany. -
Senator Hitchcock opposed the
amendment as unnecessary and like
ly to endanger the whole treaty,
while Senator McCumber said he
was in accord with its principle, but
thought the same object could be
accomplished by resumption. Sem
ator Sherman attacked the treaty in
detail and Senator Mccormick
quoted from Theodore Roosevelt to
support a plea for the preservation
of nationalisn1.
Charges Hitchcock.
Charging Senator Hitchcock with
inconsistency, Senator Watson
quoted declarations of the demo-
cratic leader opposing an arbitration
treaty negotiated with Great Brit
ain in 1912. At that time, said Mr..
Watson, Senator Hitchcock opposed
entangling alliances and was fearful
that even an arbitration treaty
would foster their domination over
this country.
Senator Lodges motion to recess
was made after the senate had been
in session for nearly seven hours,
and Senator Hitchcock, declaring he
saw no reason why vote should
not be taken, demanded a record
vote on the recess motion. The re-
suit was strict party vote with the
exception of Senator Shields, demo-
crat of Tennessee, who voted with
the republicans for recess.