The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-09-25
WILSON LEAGUE
AIDSIN DESPAIR;
PLAN NEW MOVE
"Middle of Road" Reserva-
tion Programme Mapped
Out at Conference.
AN ALIBI FOR DEFEAT
Johnson to Resume Speaking
Tour-Edge Would Safe
guard U. s. Vote.
AN ALIBI FOR DEFEAT
Special Despatch to TIE Sun.

NorterS OF the PRESIDENT, secretly con- |
vinced that the League of Nations |
covenant is bound to be modified by |
reservations, are making desperate |
effort to escape from the position in |
which they have been placed by the |
Presidents repeated open demands for |
approval of the league in exactly its |
present form. 1t was learned to-day
hat a conference of four Senators was
held last night to try to find the way
out.
Senators Hitchcock (Neb), Swan
son (Va.), Smith (Ga.) and McCumber
On. d. were parties to this confer
ence. The first two are willing to vote
for anything the President asks. SEN
ator Smith would like to do so, but is
confronted with campaign next year
for denomination. This is too close
for his comfort with the assurance
that his Americanism would be called
into question for voting against any
reservations to the denationalizing
pact. McCumber. although a Repub-
lean, may be classed with the Admin
istration Senators throughout the
league fight.
''MiddIe of the Road. Plan.
The object of this secret conclave was
the drafting of set of middle of the
road" reservations. with Senator Smith
as their author. This set would have
two obJects-it might serve to attract
, some of the so-called mild reservation
ists' and 1t would AFFORD such men as
Senator Smith an opportunity to vote
for these innocuous reservations after
they had been proposed as substitutes
for the Lodge programme.
When the innocuous reservations were
beaten. II was pointed out to-day. Sena-
tor Smith and others of his stamp could
vote against the Lodge reservations and
claim in their defence later that they
were for reservations to the league, but
wanted their own brand.
Senator Smith In his effort to have
himself renominated next year will have
the hight Of his life. It is believed. and
he Is particularly anxious to sQuirm
through his present bad situation as best
he can. His opponent for the Demo-
cratic nomination, which is equivalent to
election, probably will be Thomas Hard
wick. lately his colleague in the Senate,
whose defeat the President sought and
obtained that Senator Harris, who will
follow without question Presidential
| commands. could replace him. Mr..
Hardwick Is understood to be particu-
! larly strong in Georgia, and is causing
Mr.. Smith no little worry.
johnson and BOrah Confer.
Senators johnson (Cal) and Borah
Idaho). foremost in the attack on the
treaty, conferred to-day over the gen.
eral situation. Both feel It e necessary
to carry their case to the country. pre-
| senting It in as many places and to as
many people as possible Therefore they
are trying to make arrangements by
| which Senator johnson may resume his
speaking trip and have Senator Borah
join him. Shifting conditions make II
| impossible to decide on any programme
with assurance.
Some suggestion now being heard OF
dealing with the disparity between Brit
ish and American voting strength in the
| Assembly of the proposed League of
Nations Is by reservation, rather than
through the johnson amendment Sena-
tor Edge IN. J.) proposed a reservation
as a substitute explaining that he pre-
ferred 1t that way. but would vote for
the johnson amendment II II came to
that. His proposed reservation follows
"In ratifying this treaty and covenant
the United States 80 acts only on the
specific and positive provision that in
the assignment OF six votes to self-gov-
erning portions of the British Empire in
every matter except admission of new
members of the league. no action shall
be taken without the concurrence of a
unanimous vote OF the representatives of
] the States which are members OF the
| Council, and that In all matters of action
! the Affirmative vote of the United States
shall be necessary and equivalent to the
| united vote of the representatives OF the
several parts of the British Empire and
| that the united votes of the several parts
/ Of the British Empire shall not Offset or
| overcome the vote Of the United States.'
| Several Democrats anxiously seekins
| any basis on which they could hope to
draw enough Republican votes to substi-
tute anything whatever for any part of
the Foreign Relations Committee pro-
gramme were said to be willing to con-
slider this reservation. Mr.. Edge in
sisted, however. that II the amendment
| or some other OF like purport could not
be adopted he would support the John
| son amendment.
Senator Ashurst (Ariz.). Democrat
declared to-day there was no ground for
the claim he was going to vote for the
Johnson amendment He insisted he
/ would vote against It.
II is apparent that the Democrats win
lose several votes on this proposition,
| while II Is conceded that the Republicans
may likewise lose some; the question
simply IL which side will gain most and
thereby muster sufiicient force to win
in the hnal roll call