Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1919-08-21
First Open Move for Compromise
in League of Nations Fight
Appears in Senate-Made by
Democrat
G. o. P. NOT ENTHUSIASTIC
Senator Pittrnan Proposes That Inter-
pretive Reservations he Adopted
But Not Part Of Treaty
Ratification

Washington. Aug 2o.-The first open
move for a compromise in the League of
Nations fight came from admins tration
quarters to-day embraced in proposal
that the Senate adopt interpretive reser-
vatlons. but that they be kept apart
from the actual ratification of the treaty.
The overture met with no immediate
success on the republican side OF the
chamber, senators of the republican reser-
walton group declaring they could not
recede from their position that to be
effective the reservations must go into
the ratification itself.
Senator Pittman Of Nevada, a demo-
cratic member of the foreign relations
committee, presented the compromise
proposal in the form of resolution en-
bodying in effect the four reservation.
agreed on by seven republican senatoxs
and declaring them to constitute the
Senate's understanding of disputed points
in the covenant.
In the republican draft. however. It is
expressedly provided that the reservations
''be made part of the treaty by the in
| strument Of ratification" a proviso which
Senator McNary Of Oregon and others
Of the group of seven republicans said
they considered absolutely necessary If
enough republican votes are to be gained
to secure ratification of the treaty.
Tho overcome this objection, Senator
Pittman proposed in speech in the
Senate that the resolution be adopted
at once and submitted to the other powers
who will he represented on the league
council A general debate developed dur
| ing which Senator Borah. republican.
| Idaho, and others took exception with
| President Wilson'S distinction between
mi mr. 1aua oh
| covenant as expressed in yesterdays
White House conference between tile
President and the foreign relations COM
mttee.
Although Senator Pittman said he had
not submitted his resolution for the
Presidents approval, he asserted that it
carried into effect Mr.. Wilson's views on
the subject Of reservations as expressed
to the committee yesterday He indicated
his firm belief that the administration
would go no further toward compromis,.
because it feared that inclusion of tbs
! reservations in the ratification would re-
| open the negotiations with Germany.
An attack on the Shantung provision
| OF the treaty made In the Senate
by Senator Mccormack, republican, Ill
| nois, who asserted that by accepting the
| provision the United States would be-
come party to one of the most out
| raseous exhibition off hypocrisy and
violence" in the worlds history.
The Shantung provision also was un-
| der consideration before the foreign re-
| lations committee. which was told by
DR.. ]. c. Ferguson, adviser to the Chi
| nese president that China regarded Amer
| ican acceptance of the settlement as a
deviation from the traditional policy OF
| American friendship to the Chinese gov
ernment and people.
In his argument that reservations
should not be Incorporated in the ratif-
cation itself, Senator Pittman declared
Germany was awaiting an opportunity to
attach hundreds of reservations" and
| that to reopen the subject would submit
the United States to a needless risk.
His resolution went over without action.
| Questions by Senator Borah turned
| the debate to discussion of the moral
and legal obligations assumed under
article ten of the covenant. by which the
members agree to preserve one another's
territorial integrity against external ag-
gression. The articles Mr.. Pttman as
serted, had no legal force because 1t
doesn't carry the essentials off con-
| tract"