The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-07-09
SPEEDY PACT ACTION
Is PLAN IN SENATE


out a nationwide referendum on the
question.
But Senators Reed and Gore are by no
means the only Democrats upon whom
the Republican leaders are counting as
probable supporters of the general plan
of reserving against certain obnoxious
features of the league pact. Senator
Walsh (Mass.) believes that the obliga-
lions laid on the United States by Ar
ticle X. OF the treaty are unbearable, IL
his own Interpretation OF the language In
correct. He wants calculation from the
President on this point and still claims
to be maintaining q state Of openmind-
edness In this regard, but II will take
proof positive. not proof apparent, to
convince the first Bay State Democrat
to reach the Senate IN seventy years that
his party leaders course Is infalnble IN
this respect.
Senator Thomas (col) Is anxious to
see the covenant changed; so also are
Senators Myers (Mont.). Smith (Ga.)
and Bankhead (Ala.). In the luke
warmness Of these Senators toward the
treaty lies the great strength Of the OPP
position. Once the opposition Senators
can vote the first reservation to tho
treaty the way Is opened for these Sena-
tors to express themselves. Once It be-
comes certain to them that the treaty
cannot be accepted without at least ono
or two amendments they will not hesi-
tate, SO long as the Senate has engaged
in the business of revising. to see that
the revision, to an extent. meets their
own Views.
Swanson Admits Issue IL Close.
The Democratic leaders are badly
frightened. This was seen for the first
time to-day. when Senator Swanson
CVa.). n member of the Foreign Rela-
tions Committee. admitted that the sit
nation was. to say the least, very close"
II am sure" said Senator Swanson.
that the Senate Is very close to u tie on
the question of accepting the League Of
Nations covenant without any change. II
Is only one vote one way or the other"
This It was remarked. was quite a diff
ferent way Of describing the situation
than that employed a week ago by Sen.
ator Hitchcock (Neb.). formerly chair
man of the Foreign Relations Commit
tee. whoge cocksureness as to the success
Of the Presidents programme seemed
even to the league following to be too
good to be true. The Republicans fast
ened on this weak admission from Sem
ator Swanson, one of the most ardent
partlsans of the President in Congress-
as tantamount to a confession of defeat
in advance of the grand onslaught
All arrangements have been perfected
for the visit of the President to the Capt.
toll Thursday. The Senator made pro-
vision to-day BY agreeing to the follow
ing:
Ordered that a committee Of fve
, Senators be appointed by the Vice.
president to inform the President that
the Senate will oe pleased to receive
his communication In open executive
session at l2:15 p. NJ. on Thursday,
July IL, 1919, and that the same COM
mittee receive him on his arrival at
the Capitol and escort him to the
Senate chamber"
This resolution was adopted unani-
mously, and then Senator Cummins
DAD, the President pro tempore OF the
senate, appointed the special committee.
while a ripple Of laughter swept over the
Senate at his forced selection OF the
senior members OF the Foreign Relation
Committee.
..The chair appoints Senators Lodge.
Hitchcock. McCumber. Williams and bo-
rah." announced Mr.. Cummins. and at
the name Of the Idaho Senator, who has
opposed every step of the way the whole
League Of Nations proposal, the audible
snile broke.
Light Asked for Jsp-German Pact.
The session of the Senate to-day was
marked by the introduction OF resolu-
ton by Senator Lodge calling on the
State Department for information re-
garding a possible secret pact entered
into between the Japanese and German
Governments. The text Of the resolution
follows:
Resolved, That the President he
requested. II not Incompatible with
public interest to send to the Ser
ate a copy OF the treaty between Ger
many and Japan referred TO in the
press despatch heretofore annexed.
and to inform the Senate whether
such treaty has been abrogated under
clause II OF article 2ss OF the treaty
with Germany or whether II Is still
in force and effect.
The suspicion that the Japanese and
Germans had been secretly trafflickins
with a view to the arrangement OF a
separate agreement with regrd to mu-
tual rights In Russian has been preva-
lent for some time. As early as the frst
week OF June a newspaper exploitation
of the alleged pact made at Paris was
subjected to the most rigid censorship OF
the French Government. The news ar