Omaha daily bee., 1919-11-07
Request for Immediate Vote
On Unqualified Acceptance
Of Peace Treaty Blocked at
Last Moment in Senate.
FEAR FOR AMENDMENTS
IF RATIFICATION IS MADE
Leaders as Much at Sea as
Ever Over Date When Final
Vote Might Be Reached, But
Will Speed Up Debate.

Washington, Nov. 6.-Whether to
+ratify the treaty with Germany
without reservations or amendments
seemed for while this afternoon
about to be decided by the senate.
Thrown INTO the thick of a dra-
matte parliamentary battle, re-
quest for an immediate showdown
on unqualified acceptance of the
treaty got the backing of the lead
ers on both sides, who seemed
anxious to outdo each other in
pressing for roll call. But be-
fore the stage of action was reached
the move was blocked by repub-
lican senators who objected that
it might cut off any later attempt
to put reservations into the ratifi-
cation. II.
Back to Regular Order.
The senate got back to its regular
order of business and, having voted
down the last of the long list of
proposed amendments, began work
on the reservations presented by
the foreign relations committee,
said to have the backing of ma
jority of the senator's When a
recess was taken until tomorrow.
the first of the Is committee pro-
posals had not yet come to a vote.
The reservations got beyond the
senate only after a vote of order
against them had been overrulIed
-by, ,AieesR RnaAils~t-a akasssssaaii;. zRiso- de-
cfarcd no technicalities of the sem
ate rules would be permitted to
stand in the way-nf the right of the
senate majority to frame its ratifi-
cation of the treaty as it chose. The
ruling, which followed an hour Of
bitter argument. was accepted as
containing significant declaration
of policy with respect to the parlia.
mentary tangle developing around
the treaty.
Still Much at Sea.
Leaders were as much at sea as
ever tonight over the date when
final vote on the treaty might be
reached, but they declared every
effort would be made to hasten the
reservation debate. Democratic
leaders, at an evening conference.
thrcshed over the whole situation
and sought some method of bring
ing the long fight quickly to con-
clusion.
Meantime White House officials
revealed that plans were on foot for
an early conference between Presi-
dent Wilson and Senator Hitchcock
of Nebraska, the democratic leader,
regarding the senate situation. 1t
was said at the capitol tonight, how
ever. that no such appointment yet
had been made or requested by Mr..
Hitchcock, who thought several
days might elapse before the fight
became acute.
The furry over an immediate vote
on unreserved ratification came just
after the senate had voted down. 81
to 16, the amendment by Senator
Gore, democrat. Oklahoma, to make
anv declaration of war under the
league of nations contingent on a
popular referendum. Two more
amendments had been prepared by
Senator Borah. republican. Idaho.
but he decided to withhold them
and offer them later as reservations.
That cleared away the last of the
amendments and Senator Lodge of
Massachusetts,, the republican leader,
called up the committee reserva-
tons.
Immediate Objection.
Immediate objection came from
the administration forces, Senator
Underwood, democrat. declaring the
proposals could not properly be con-
sidered until the resolution of ratih-
cation came before the senate. He
was assailing the republicans for
delay and charging that their meth
DDS were designed to prevent di-
rect vote on the question of unre-
served ratification when Senator
Lodge asked:
"If the senator wants to hasten
action, why doesn't he ask for vote
right now on ratification without
reservations"
"I'll do it," said Senator Under
wood. and he did.
The move brought half dozen
senators to their feet and in the
maneuvering which followed. the
chamber presented scene of con-
tinuous confusion. Senator Hitch
cock first-got the floor to present
formally unanimous consent agree
ment for vote and although the
republican. managers interposed no
objection, it failed to meet the ap-
proval of some senator's, and a sharp
debate ensued.
Wouldn't Permit Vote.
Senator Fall, republican, New
Mexico, objected that the parliamen-
tary situation would not permit
such vote, since the senate was
acting as committee of the whole.
Senator Hitchcock then modified
he ~ La