Evening star., 1920-02-22
BY NEWBOLD MOVES.

ISCUSSION Of the peace treaty upon
Capitol Hill during the week just
passed might be likened to a Mother
Hubbard gown-in that 1t covered
everything and touched upon nothing very
definitely. In the first place the effort of Sem
ator Hitchcock to conine the early debate upon
the treaty to the reservations proposed to
article was blocked by the republican leader.
and the foodgates of largely unproductive
oratory upon variety OF subjects were
opened wide. The more less obvious fact
that, utterly Irrespective Of whatever
clusions may be reached upon the minor issues
under consideration, the keystone Of any ef-
fective compromise must be article does
not seem to have impressed the majority of
the Senate.
The history of the peace treaty before the
Senate has been from the first a series of alter
mating views. optimism and pessmsm. Last
week the pessimistic ran high, with
Senator Hitchcock its crest. Whether his
views were a matter of parliamentary expe-
dience or of bona f1de gloom, the democratic
leader listened awhile to the broadsides of
the irreconcilables and hazarded the depress-
ing guess that the treaty might be destined
to go back into the same hole it came out Of.
The democratic limit, involving the readiness
Of the minority to accept either the Taft or
the so-called bipartisan reservation to article
& was announced to have been offered to
Senator Lodge. With answer Forthcoming
ness on the part Of Senator Lodge u possibly
because few were inclined to believe the con.
able the week dragged on. There was no
doubt in anybodys mind but that the crisis
with the nations response to the virtual dis
missal OF Secretary Lansing by the President,
porters The talk Of carrying the treaty over
to e1tes ;, as eampasn issue whereby
So It @ ran until Saturday, when with the rail-
on the Were that the ebanea 3e ;e
any productive action in the near future was
fn, far h, from bright Once again time Of ines
UNABLE value to this nation and to Europe
had been wasted. And this despite the fact
a., as Senator Underwood pithily observes. that
ot.ss Of each Of the factions to have its own
The business of supplying legislation essen
tial to the equitable return Of the railroads
to private hands upon March 1 was advanced
by long stride during the course Of the week.
The Cummins-Esch railroad control BILL which
has for weeks been under discussion by a
congressional joint conference committee. was
upon Wednesday reported out to the House
aopssd aSs Ss e..
majority; T.. The opening Of debate in the
nnal action necessary. but the prevailing opin-
ION seems to be one Of confidence that the
hrst Of the month will see the Legislative end
OF the BIG job effectively disposNd 6G llsf.3.z
not here be accorded more than the most fseii-
eral treatment The powers Of the interstate
from nIge tS eleven membsrs viii - srs9tly
commits which win yield to the carriers in
each rate-rnaking group net operating income
of the roads in such group. Excess earnings
will be divided equally between each carriers
reserve fund and the federal general railroad
reserve fund. with which loans may be made
to carriers and equipment to be leased car
riers purchased.
The principal provision of the labor clauses
Of the bill deals with the creation Of tribunal
riers and the public will be equally repre-