The Washington herald., 1919-08-21
C. O.P. SENATORS
FIGHT PITTMAN
MILD CHANGES
Lodge Declares No RepubG-
can Will Accept Reser-
vations Proposed.

Senator Pittman. Of Nevada yes
terday presented in the Senate a
draft of reservations which he said
were approved by the President and
represented the Presidents IDEAS as
TO how isr the Senate should 60 In
adopting treaty reservations.
The Presidents plan, as given by
Senator Pittman, was a bid for the
so-callsd mild reservationists" among
the Republicans to join with the
Democrats In adopting reservations
which would merely express the SEN
tirnent OF the Senate without becom-
ing a part Of the treaty itself.
Senator McCumber. who has favored
the league Of nations. declared he
would never vote for reservations
which did not 90 into the treaty.
Senator Pittman's whole plan. which
he frankly stated had been submitted
70 the President and believed it thor
oughly represented the Presidents
views. is that the resolution OF reser-
vations proposed by him should be
adopted by the Senate at once; II
would not be a part OF the treaty, but
would be notice to the other sigma
tory powers as to the construction
which the United States placed upon
certain Of the provisions in the treaty
and in the league covenant. The reser
yations covered the American under
standing as to the powers of the
league with respect to the Monroe doc
tr.ne, the settlement OF domestic ques-
tions. the right of withdrawal and the
moral obligations" imposed by Arti-
Gle y.
Following the introduction Of the
Pittman resolution. Senator Lodge;
the Republican leader. made a hur-
ried canvass of the situation and all
nounced that no Republican would
vote for II. He sa d
The Pittman resolution will have
no Republican support. Expression
Of our opinion. i'm a separate docu
ment, about the nearing OF a docu-
ment we ratify means nothing what
ever: it would be utterly worthless"
Senator Johnson. of California, upon
hearing the Pittman reservations
read. inquired What next" The
Senator said.
'ChronolOgiCally. there was first pre-
sented a perfect document incapable
OF amendment. which forthwith was
amended. The amended league then
was a finished product and so plain
that, in the language of its advocates,
It must be adopted without the dot
ting of an i or the crossing OF a t.
Then interpretat tiOns might be ap-
pended which would clarity its am
=biguities. Now definite reservations
by resolution are suggested. What
NEXT Those who believe IN the pre-
servation Of American independence
Insisted upon safeguarding our nation
rather than the nations of Europe and
Asia Perhaps our friends on the
other side are gradually coming to
the American doctrine"
Senator Pittman defended his plan
IN n debate in which his proposed
reservations were attacked by Sena-
tors BOrah. Brandegee. Fall. Poln-
deXter. Reed and others. In reply to
questions by Senator Borah. the Ne
vadn Senator admitted that such
reservations would not be binding Z
upon any other nation.
After stating that the league Of ma
tions would be nothing more than "a
meeting place where the concensus
Of opinion of the civilized world may
he obtained and its moral force
brought to bear" Senator Pittman
was asked by Senator Reed whether
he would be willing to have this writ
ten into the treaty. He replied that
he would. ThereupOn Senator Reed
said.
IF Il IL written into the league
covenant that il is only a meeting
place for consultation without power
Of coercion or compulsion there will
be little difficulty about it