Evening star., 1920-01-04
DEMOCRATS HAVE
|. COMPROMISE SET
OF RESERVATIONS
Fifteen Senators Will Meet
Today to Consider Settling
Treaty Differences.

Definite steps looking to the adop-
ton of compromise set of reServa-
tions on the treaty of peace with
a meeting Of some fifteen democratic
senators this afternoon. Senator Hoke
Smith of Georgia is prime mover in
this matter. II is his opinion. and
that Of a number of others on the
democratic side. that the Senate
with such reservations as can be
agreed upon, and that it should then
be transmitted to the President.
The Senate will have fulfilled its
functions then as part Of the treaty.
making power under the Constitution.
If the President should see fit not to
exchange the ratifications and pigeon
hole the treaty because it does not
suit him, the burden will be upon him
for failing to ratify the pact. and not
upon the Senate, it is argued.
These democratic senators feel that
the President, in adhering to his un-
compromising attitude on the treaty
is blocking the way to any ratlflca-
tion of the pact by the Senate Some
of them assert that they would never
vote for the treaty unless strong
reservations are adopted, particularly
with regard to article of the
league of nations covenant. which
seeks to impose an obligation upon
all the members of the league to pre-
serve the territorial integrity of the
members of the league.
10 Democrats Favor Reservations.
A canvass of the situation yesterday
brought out an estimate of nineteen
or twenty democratic senators who
will, it is believed, support the So
called Lodge reservat tions with minor
amendments. Many of these senator's
it is known, would have been glad to
vote for these reservations when they
were included in the Lodge resolution
of ratification at the close of the last
session. At that time, however, the
great majority of them acceded to the
! request of the President and voted
against the ratification resolution
They are anxious to have the treaty
! ratified. however, and peace finally
proclaimed. They consider that the
| interests Of the country are endanger-
ed by delay in this matter.
| 1t seems likely that these demo-
Gratis after deciding among themselves
! to what extent they are willing to &C
| in the matter of reservations. will
then consult with the so-called mild
! reservation group of senators on the
| republican side in an effort to frame
| the compromise reservations. 1t is
| the hope of members of these two
groups that the compromise so ar
rived at will be such that it can have
| the support of the necessary two
thirds of the Senate for ratification.
Discuss President's Attitude.
The feeling is growing that only by
can the ratification of the treaty be
accomplished. Senators are saying
! that it cannot be expected that the
i President will announce he will ac-
! cept reservations to the pact which
he negotiated with the other powers
| and to which he is in a sense pledged
| But after the Senate has acted, these
! senators say, he will then be in &
| position to say to the allies. Here
! is the treaty as approved by the Sen.
tions will raise no serious objections
| to the American reservations.
| The treaty without reservations
| does not appeal to many of the demo.
| Gratis as an issue in the coming ma.
| tional campaign. They believe thai
the great majority Of the people are
| in favor of the treaty, but with res
ervations. The President may bt
| bent upon forcing the league of ma
tions in the campaign, as are Sena.
| tors Hiram Johnson and Borah OF
the republican side. But il he is
such action Will cause much chagrir
| among the democrats in the Senate
The question is being asked at tn,
Capitol if Mr.. Wilson is not withhold
ing any announcement as to whether
he will seek the nomination for Presi.
dent until the treaty has been dis.
| posed of. A formal announcement
that he Is out of the running might
tend to lessen his influence with the
democratic senators, it is suggested
Senator Kings Compromise.
Senator King of Utah will lay be-
fore the meeting today the set OF
reservations which he has drafted
after consulting with number Of
his colleagues. These reservations
follow the Lodge reservations pretty
closely. except for preamble and those
| reservations relating to article X OF
| the league of nations, the Monroe
doctrine and Shantung. However, il
was intimated today by Senator King
that he might be willing to yield or
the article X reservation, which has
all along been considered the stun
bling block in making a compromise