New-York tribune., 1920-01-18
Democrats Support Sena-
tor i'm Rule That No
information Shall Be
Given on Compromise
Conference Likely
To Last Ten DAYS
Shantung and Monroe
Doctrine Next; No
Agreement on Article X
Nesc York Tribune
WdsIin0tOn H1lreuu


WASHINGTON, Jan. 17.-At the in
stance of Senator Hitchcock and the
other Democratic Senators who are
formally negotiating with the Repub-
llcans for compromise on the peace
treaty, secrecy was ordered to-day on
the progress Of the negotiations.
When the five Democratic Senators
met with the four Republican Senators
in formal conference this afternoon,
Senator Hitchcock criticized the pub
licity that has been given the progress
of the negotiations so far and de-
manded that the discussions that are
now under way be withheld from the
public. He made q motion in the con-
ference that the conferees bind them
selves to keep the discussions secret,
and it was adopted, 5 to a, on a straight
party vote
The Democratic Senators declared too
much publicity has blocked efforts that
have been made heretofore toward an
agreement on reservations. They said
that as result of the publication of
details of the negotiations. they have
been flooded with letters demanding
a compromise.
Article Y Still at Issue
AS result of the Democratic de-
maad none Of the conferees would dis
cCss what occurred at the afternoon
want to place.the Democratic conferces
in an embaHTHTagssilng position, but It
became known that the conferees have
not yet got down to a discussion of
the reservations on Article X and
equality sof voting.
At to-day's meeting only the less i'm
pOrtant reservations were discussed.
They included the preamble and Amer
lean participation in the various COM
missions and bureaus created by the
treaty. There is little difficulty in get
ting together on those reservations, as
the Republicans at the first meeting
on Thursday expressed their wiling
ness to make concessions on those
points.
The reservations on Shantung and
the Monroe Doctrine will be considered
rext. The Article X and equality Of
tvoting reservations, which are the
principal stumbling blocks in the road
to an agreement will be laid aside until
last
The formal conferences will be con-
tinued for week or ten days longer,
it was said to-day. BY that time, it
was predicted, it will become apparent
whether an agreement can be cached
The Senator'S who are taking part in
the formal negotiations arc Senators
Hitchcock, Owen, Mcclellan, Simmons
and Walsh, of Montana, Democrats,
and Lodge, New, Lenroot and Kellogg,
Republicans.
Taft to Promote Compromise
Former President Taft has notified
his friends in the Senate that he will
come to Washington within few days
to discuss a treaty compromise With
the mild rescrvationists' on the Re-
publican side. Mr.. Taft, as head Of
the League to Enforce Peace, opposed
any reservations 20 the treaty when
it was before the Senate, and lately
has been advocating the acceptance Of
compromise reservations in order to
delegation representing the Repub-
lican mild rcservationists' called
upon Senator Hitchcock and protested
against what they declared to be "in-
reference in the treaty negotiations
by Senator Hitchcock. The Admins
traton leader has insisted that Presi-
dent Wilson be consulted before the
Democrats accept any compromise re-
servationa, and the mild reservation-
lists" told him to-day they thought he
had prevented the Democrats from
reaching an agreement with the Re-
publcans that could secure immediate
ratification OF the treaty.