New-York tribune., 1920-03-09

He insults them in two places in his
letter, once by recalling that such
arguments were heard with indifferent
silence at Paris, and again when he
says he cannot understand the differ.
ence between nullifer and a milo
nullifier.
His appeal seems to ME to be made
to the American people. 1t is directed
to the crusading spirit. 1t is an urge
in order that the rest pf the world
may be better off. 1t roughly groups
the French, the Italians, the British
and Japanese, who are Withholding
their rapacity only because OF Article
X, he says, the Republicans and the
reservationists among the Democrats,
all in enc imperialstic group of the
old order of things. He appeals to the
American people to end this old order. /"
The Presidents letter arrived at the
Capitol shortly before noon. Senator
Hitchcock showed it to man. cf the Re
publican Senators before the debate on
obtained. and Senator Lodge took one
OF them into the Republican cloakroom
and read it to group of his colleagues
There was warm debate on the ioor,
but all the interest was underr cath tho
surface. the Presidents letter not being
mentioned
"The President has again said: STake
1T or leave it," said Senator Brande-
gee. "1n his view all reservations pro.
posed are 'nullifications.' 1t must be
ratified without the dottin: Of an i' or
the crossing of It, 1t Is q point blank
refusal Of any compromise. The Presi-
dent has strangled his own child"
Kellogg Refuses Support
Senator Kellogg-If President Will
son by his letter means, as he evident
ly does, that we must adopt Article x,
obligat ting this country to send an
army to Europe every time any foreign
country demands it or to furnish the
roney and resources to maintain every
country in the world, then l must say
will not vote for such proposition.
Shall we obligate ourselves to MAIN
tain Japan's rights in China or Tur-
keys in Europe? That question should
be passed on by the people or by the
peoples representatives in Congress
When the occasion arises
Senator Curtis--The President in
his letter states that unless we adopt
should stay out of the league. 1t is
perfectly apparent that the covenant
cannot be adopted, because there is
sufficient number of Senator'S who will
protect and safeguard the interests of
the United States. The President in
dicates squarely and clearly that he IS
against protecting the interests of the
United States. If the members in
the Senate who have been following
his course accept the doctrines laid
down in his letter there can be no
ratification, because a majority of the
Senate are determined that American
interests must be fully protected.
Senator Capper-It is in line with
his previous stubborn demand for the
treaty just as he brought it back from
Paris. 1t puts the responsibility Tor
the defeat of the treaty squarely upon
the President. The treaty could be
ratified in manner entirely satisfac
tory to the great ajority of the
sons stubborn insistcnce against the
crossing of ct" or the dotting Of
an a."
Senator McCormick-The Presidene
is logical. He joins the issue upon
straight ratification without any res
ervations which reserve. He stands
by his jackson Day letter and plainly
characterizes mild reservationsts as
mild nullifers." l hope we may have
done with the refinement Of verbal dis
tinctions and go to a vote.
that we will get reservations that will
not destroy the terms of the covenant,
but if they do nullify it, as the Presi-
dent says. do not believe we should
vote for the ratifying resolution.
Hitchcock's View Unchanged
Senator Hitchcock do not think
the Presidents letter will change the
situation. There never was any chance
Of getting a sufficient number of Dem
ocrats to accept the Lodge reservation
on Article x to ratify the treaty. We
are rapidly approaching a crisis. The
compromise negotiations are still 60
ing on and they are still fiddling
around, putting in a word here and
taking out word there, to give us the
phras ology and then the substance.
There will not be enough Dem ocratic
votes to ratify. the treaty unless there
is q material change in the Lodge res
ervation. | think this letter disparages
any further attempt to make mild res
ervations, although it doesn't neces
sarily kill them. My position is un-
changed. will accept either the Taft
or the bipartisan reservation to Article
x if it is offered from the other side.
The Presidents. letter makes the issue
OF league or no league clear one.
The Presidents letter declares that
there is no difference between having
no ieague and an attempt to nulIify it
with reservations. 1t i better for US
to stay out of the league gracefully
than to go into it disgracefully.
Senator Borah-As I understand it
the President stands pat. The letter
seems to me a very pronounced state
ment in favor of his position that he
will reject the treaty if it is changed
in any respect. He even rejects mild
reservations. The President makes the
issue league Or no league, which is
in the form I would like it,
"Fighting for Article X"
Senator Moses--I see by the Pres-
dents letter that Senator Ke Iogg and
have been united in bonds OF poltical
wedlock by the Rev Woodrow Wilson
I have been glad to note the minish-
ing quantity of Senators seeking the
Presidents views He himself states
it as one or two Senator's had
thought we were fighting in Paris for
the fourteen points, but now find we
were fighting for Article x. If he
really means what he says about facing
the soldiers hope that both he and the
brave boys will be spared the necessity
of confronting each other.
Senator Lodge have a copy OF the
Presidents letter in my pocket. 1t has
been read several times in the cloak
room. There are some delightful pas
sages in it, particularly that in which
he attacks France But am NOT poinp