New-York tribune., 1919-05-09
Referendum ON
League Planned
By Republicans
Senators Would Separate
Covenant and Treaty and
Submit Amended Draft If
the Charter to the People
Neao York Tribune
Wash tROtOn Rureo,,

lNcW 1 OfE IlIJUue
Washington Bureau
WASHINGTON, May s.-A deter.
mlhed effort to divorce the covenant
OF the league Of nations from the
treaty OF peace with Germany and con-
slder its ratification separately will
pc made by members of the FOREIGN
Relations Committee of the Senate
when the treaty is formally presented
for ratification.
This move will have the support oil
Senator Lodge, of Massachusetts. chair.
man OF the committee, and practically
the entire Republican membership of
the committee. In addition, it is prob
able that at least one Democratic mem
Der of the committee, Senator Thomas.
OF Colorado, will support this move
ment
influential Republican Senators will
propose that, in addition, the covenant
be amended and the country be asked
to ratlfy it in amended form through
a national referendum before final
ratification by the United States be-
comes effective.
Plan tG Amend Treaty
Already Senators are devising
method of procedure calculated to de-
feat the Presidents purpose to make
the peace treaty and the covenant in
separable. One plan IS to amend the
treaty by substituting for the "league
OF nations" the words commission of
the powers" with the addendum that
when the league of nations becomes op-
erative the authority Of such "commis-
sion of the powers" shall vest in the
council of the league.
Senator Lodge declined to give an
opinion on the matter until he has seen
the complete official text.
Senator Hitchcock, of Nebraska. re-
trlng chairman OF the Foreign Rela-
tions Committee, expressed the onin;on
that such plan would be futile. be-
cause the two subject matters arel SO
'lntertwined a $ to be inextricable.
Would Ratify Treaty First
should the proposed separation be
effected the Republicans would under
take immediate ratification of the
treaty of peace and subsequent con-
slderation of the covenant Of the league
OF nations. An attmept would then be
launched to amend the covenant of the
league to meet the criticisms of those
sections which are alleged to impair the
sovereignty of the United States.
senator Brandegee, of Connecticut
member of the Foreign Relations Com
mlttee, will support the move for a
referendum, and it will be seconded bv
senator Borah, of Idaho, another mem
per OF the committee. The Brandegee-
borah championship is admittedly
strong. 1t lends geographical backing
to the proposition in the Senate and
the SUPPORT of both conservative and
progressive forces
In the event the Senate accents snch
a referendum an attempt will be made
to stage the proceedings at once. Re
publican Senators said TODAY there
would be no attempt at postponeing
such referendum until the 1920 cleo
tions.
Few Senator's are disposed to cues
tion the early ratification of the peace
treaty with Germany in all it's major
provisions, exclusive of the league
covenant. The military terms in
cluded in the treaty are almost univer-
sally acceptable.
Shantung Decision Opposed
There is, however, a strong like,N-
hood that there will be strong criti-
cism in the Senate to the Shantung
province concession to Japan. This
has been characterized by Senator's
who will figure prominently in the rati-
tication of the treaty by terms varying
in strength from Inconsistent" to '.the
most infamous agreement negotiated
in the history of nations"
Senators are not disposed, however
to discuss the Shantung matter until
they are able to study the full terms
of the concessions granted to Japan.