The Knoxville independent. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1894-current, 1919-09-27


asked to accept the language of the
senate as the language of the treaty ;
it would be especially humiliating to
have to ask the assent of the German
national assembly. Senator Fall
called the presidents attention to the
fact that Germany Is not to be an
original member of the league and
consequently any amendments to the
covenant proposed before her admis-
sion would not be submitted to her.
Mr.. Wilson admitted this was true
and that the point had not occurred
to him, but he insisted that Germany
already has a relationship to the
league and that it was the plan to
admit her Immediately.
AS for article 10, the crux of the
whole fight, President Wilson inter-
preted it as follows: If the league
calls on the United States to send
troops abroad to preserve the terri
torial integrity of another member
state from external aggression, the
United States will be under an abso'
lutely compelling moral obligation
though not legal obligation, to com
ply. But the league cannot call on
the United States for such aid unless
the American member votes his ap
>proval in accord with American pub
lie sentiment.
After it was all over, Senator Hitch
cock said the president had clarified
many involved questions in wonder
full manner and that speedy ratitica
ton would be the result. Senator
Lodge said Mr.. Wilson had not giver
them much real information and tina
the admissions he had made had win
dicated the criticisms leveled at thu
league covenant. Between these ex
tremeS stand the mild reservation
lists" To capture their votes Senator
Pittman of Nevada took the reserva
lions they advocate, called them 'in
terpretations or understandings" anC
put them into a resolution which HI
presented to the senate for its adop
ton apart from the resolution of rati
fication. He asserted that he was act
ing with the presidents approval
whereupon Senator Hitchcock, admin
istration leader, felt himself ignores
and showed that Pittman'S resolution
was not much to his liking. The op
ponents of the covenant were brutal
ly outspoken in condemning the reso
luton. In the course of the lively de
bate Mr.. Pittman admitted that tn
League Of Nations was hardly NOR
than a meeting place where the con
sensus of the civilized world may b.
obtained and it's moral force brough
to bear"
eff you'll write that into the leagu
covenant there will be no difficult
about it's ratification" interrupte,
Senator Reed of Missouri (Dem.).
Paris correspondents predict tina
the peace conference will adjourn
within two or three weeks and Nha
when 1t reassembles in November o
December the United States will no
be represented unless in the meantim
the senate shall have ratified tn
treaty and decided that we shall &C
cept mandates. The work for the cor
ference after it reconveneS will be tn
partition of Turkey and the settle
ment Of the Thracian and Adria,l
questions. If the United States doe
not take part in these, both Italy an,
Greece expect. to win their demands
for the Americans are now their onl,
opponents. As to Thrace, the Amer
lean delegation insists on the creation
of buffer state that will give Bull
garia access to the sea- The Greek
and Turks, who make up the bulk o
the population Of Dedeagatch dis
trict, involved In this plan, are bitter
ly opposed 10 the continuation of any
thing like Bulgarian rule there ant
are reported to be preparing to resis
it by arms. 1t is not the intention o
the peace conference to leave any par
of Thrace in the possession of Bul
garia,
The council of five hopes that tn,
Austrian treaty will be signed within
a week 1t also is feeling optimistic
about Hungary, where new coalition
cabinet has been formed, and think
It may soon be able to recognize tn
government at Budapest and presen
the Hungarian treaty for signature.
The weeks news from Russia wa
somewhat more encouraging, for Ad
miral Kolchak appeared to hav,
stopped his retreat and to hav,
checked the pursuing bolshevsts
The red forces We're ousted from
Odessa and lost ground in some olhe
regions. IN fhe 'iulf of Finland i
J British fleet encountered number o