The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1920-01-08
COMP PROMISE ON
TREATY IS HOPE
MANY SENATORS OF ALL GROUPS
DISPOSED TO GET TOGETHER
ON RATIFICATION
PLAN THROUGH THE HOLIDAYS
Knox Resolution for Separate Peace
Considered a Last Resort-Modihed
Lodge Reservations Are Gaining
More Supporters.
BY JAM S p. HoRNAoAY.

WIN VIII nave llN luNi
in the United States senate soon after
January ). tie date on which congress
Will reassemble. A goodly number of
senators have remained here during
the congressional recess for the ex-
press purpose OF trying to arrive at an
agreement under which the treaty can
be ratified. Representatives Of the
several groups into which the senate
divided on the treaty are participating
IN the informal conferences that are
being held. No one, however well In.
formed, would undertake to say at this
time what the outcome Of this final
effort to pave the way for ratification
will he. All that can be said with
certainty Is that senators representing
each of the political groups are show
ing disposition to forget what has
gone before and to get together on
ratification resolution.
The senate will reconvene with the
resolution offered by Senator Knox for
separate peace with Germany on the
calendar subject to action AT any time.
This Is joint resolution. which means
that to be adopted II would have to
receive a ma iority vote In both senate
and house, and having received such
vote IL would 90 to the president for
I his signature In answering a question
submitted to him by Senator Fall more
| than two months ago. President VII
son said that under no circumstances
] tn-nnIH no
/ viding for a separate peace with Ger
many. and so II is assured that If the
/ Knox resolution should go through
congress II would be vetoed. and that
would mean that il would have TO re-
ceive twO-rhlrds vote in each branch
of congress, or fall by the wayside.
Only as a Last Resort.
The Knox resolution is looked upon
as the last resort. If all efforts to
compose the differences I'm the senate
on the treaty should fail, the Knox
resolution would, In the judgment OF
practically all the senator's, probably
command a majority vote in both sen
ate and house. II is doubtful. how
ever, say the best Informed senators
and representatives. whether il could
ever command a two-thirds majority.
For the next two weeks interest will
center not In the Knox resolution, but
in the sincere effort on the part of n
large number of senators 10 revive the
treaty and open the way for it's ratifi-
cation. The technically over the ques-
ton as to whether the treaty is still
before the senate is to be waived by
those senators who believe that the
proper course would be for President
Wilson 10 withdraw the treaty and
resubmit IL. In the conferences that
are now going on and will continue
until the senate comes back after the
holidays. the so-called Lodge reserva
tons. which failed some weeks ago
are being used as the basis for peace
negotiations. Those senators who in
the earlier stages of the senates work
on the treaty favored ratification with
out reservations are now saying L
senators who have from the first in
sisted on reservations. that they ar,
willing to accept without change The
most of the Lodge reservations. The,
would like to have the preamble. which
STIMULATES that the treaty shall moi
become operative as 10 the UniteC
States until three Of the four major
allied nations shall accept the reserva
tons made by the United States sen
ate. stricken out. and they would liz,
/ tfAns NJ fhraa foV
of the reservations.
} How Allied Nations Feel.
Recent Information that has come I,
senators 10 the effect that Great Brit
} ain. France, Italy and Japan will prob
J ably be willing to accept most OF IN,
, Lodge reservations provided the pre-
amble is eliminated. is having som,
influence on the situation. Senators
are now led to believe that even thu
reservation expressing the disapprova
} of the United States of the Shantunl
award in the treaty might be accept
able TO Great Britain and Japan, pro
vided the preamble Is not made par
. of the ratification resolution.
The negotiations that are under wal
seek 10 eliminate partisan politics n,
: far as possible and necessarily the!
. are not taking into account persons II
the senate or outside Of that body wh'
hold uncOmpromising opinions will
respect 10 the treaty.
May Reduce Size OF House.
The census committee Of the tw,
branches of congress are alread!
giving thought 10 the new ap
portionment Of members of th'
house OF representatives, which vii
have 10 be worked out by them as sOor
as the bureau Of the census an
nounces the result Of the new count Of
the people. Al present there are Az
members in the house. The consensus
of opinion among persons who have
given the subject study Is that this Il
too many: that a deliberatiye bod.
composed of that number Of persons
becomes unwieldy and is not produc
tive of the best results. But whel
the census committees get down 4