Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1920-03-18
NEW RESERVATION
DEFEATED 1926
The "Grave. Concern" Modifica-
tiOn of Article Ten Doesn't
Capitalization Vote Will Be
Taken Friday

Washington. March 1.-THE republican
irreconcilables. combining with the demo-
Gratis overturned on the Senate floor to-
day the plan Of republican leaders to at
tach to tho peace treaty general dec
lara tion Of American policy toward future
European wars.
The declaratory reservation, which
would pledge the United States, to regard
with grave concern any threat 10
Europes peace or freedom, was voted
down q to 80 after the irreconcilaoles had
tried In vain TO amend il. INTENDED AS An
offset to the reservation denying the
obligation OF article ten. the proposal had
been expected by the republican leaders
to attract many democratic votes. but on
the roll call only two senators on the
democratic side supported 1t.
Disposition Of the reservation was re-
garded az clearing up the last doubtful
issue of the treaty fight. and the leaders
Immediately made plans to bring vote
on ratification by Friday BY unanimous
consent Il was agreed to limit speeches
on all other pending reservations to
flftean minutes, and TO continue to-mor-
rows session into the evening II neces-
sary to put the ratification resolution
into final form. About a dozen reserva-
tions remain to be voted on, but II gen.
orally is conceded that none of them will
be adopted.
AS the ratification controversy neared
conclusion, William ]. Bryan began a
series Of conferences with democratic
senators. throwing the weight OF his in
fiuence against the advice Of President
Wilson that the administration Senate
forces vote against ratification with the
republican reservations. Mr. Bryan is
understood to have told his friends in the
Senate to take the best ratification they
could get. but there was no evidence to-
night that he had materially weakened
the democratic forces standing out
against the republican program.
Action on the declaratory reservation,
which was introduced by Senator Len
roto. republican, Wisconsin. was reached
after the Senate had extricated itself with
some difficulty from the debate started
yesterday on the Irish question. Two
propositions intended to aid toward Irish
Independence were laid aside by-votes of
more than two to one discussion on each
Of them being ended summarily by a
motion to lay on the table. not debatable
under Senate rules.
The first proposal, by Senator Shields.
democrat Tennessee. was offered as an
amendment to a pending reservation on
Egypt, which was tabled with ali It's pro-
posed amendments by. a vote OF "a 10 q.
The subject Immediately was revived,
however, in a reservation introduced by
Senator Reed, democrat, Missouri, which
was laid on the table 46 to p.
Debate on the reservation to declare a
European policy was brief. Senator Len
root advocating 1t as n means of show
Ing the nations good faith toward its
recent allies and Senator Williams, dem
ocrat. Missouri denouncing 1t as a stu
pendous piece of humor' which meant
nothing and would result in nothing.
Senator Borah of Idaho, leader of the
republican irreconcilables, proposed to
add to the reservation a proviso that the
United States would reserve "independ-
ent and uncontrolled power" in deciding
| what it would do. and at first Senator
Lenroot accepted the amendment. Later.
however. he withdrew his assent declar-
| ing the change might eliminate all Of the
! obligations assumed by the treaty. and
Senator Borah withdrew his amendment
| and announced he would vote against the
| reservation.
| In addition to the declaratory reserva-
ton and the two relating TO Ireland, the
Senate acted during the day on only two
reservations. One by Senator Norris
republican, of Nebraska, Withholding
assent to the British protectorate over
Egypt, was rejected. 81 to 15 and one by
Senator Owen. democrat. Oklahoma. de-
| caring the armistice terms still binding
was beaten. So to u.