Evening star., 1920-01-24
BIPARTISAN TREATY
TALKS SCHEDULED
TODAY CALLED Off
Senator Lodge Takes Action,
But Republicans Confer
Informally.


the republican organization in the
Senate. and perhaps the party outside
the Senate, over treaty compromises
the bipartisan conference on the treaty
scheduled for today was called off by
Senator Lodge. the republican leader
A series of informal conferences was
begun among republicans themselves
to see what can be done to patch up the
fences. The conference with the dAm-
ocrats has been set for Monday morn
ing
On the one hand Senators johnson
of California, Borah and Sherman and
others of the "bitter-enders" among
the republicans, it is said, will bolt
the party organization in the Senate
if the republican leader agrees to
compromise the Senate reservations
with the democrats so that they are
in any way weakened.
Mr.. Sherman Threatens.
At least one of these senators an
nounced today that if the republican
national convention should report any
weak reservations on the treaty he
will bolt the republican party. This
was Senator Sherman.
Il will quit the republican party
whenever it agrees to any wishy-
washy reservations on the peace
treaty" he said. However, if the
party stands firm for the reservations
adopted by the Senate the last ses-
sion, called the Lodge reservations,
l will go along with the party"
He said that he would agree to a
conference among the republicans to
see if it would be better for all of the
republicans to support these reserVa- :
tions, even those who voted against
r 1,,ti of rot n
the last session.
Demanding Compromise.
On the other hand are the mild res
ervationists among the republicans
who are demanding that some COM
promise be made to bring about rati-
fication of the treaty. They, too, are
threatening to bolt the republican
leadership in the Senate. and to join
with the democrats in bringing the
treaty again before the Senate for
consideration.
In between these two factions stand
Senator Lodge, the republican leader.
and those senators who have followed
him consistently. Some of these Sena-
tors are for accepting the challenge OF
the "bitter-enderS" and telling them
to go ahead with their revolt il they
desire. and see how many voters will
follow them. They are planning to
ask the "bitter-enders" if they Will
support the Lodge reservations should
thew again be brought up in the Sem
ate. If the "bitter-enders" say they
will not, then these senators intend to
ask them what ground they have to
meddle in the situation at all
It is understood that Senator Lodge
has assured the :'bitter-enders" that
he is not planning to yield any of the
principles involved in the Senate
reservations. His assertion of this has
quieted the troubled waters consider
ably, it is said. The dispute among the
republicans has discouraged some of
those who are seeking ratification of
the treaty
Protest Further Compromise.
The "bitter enders," called Senator
Lodge into conference yesterday aft
ernoon to protest against any further
compromise of the reservations, and
after discussing the situation with
him for two hours. called in Senator
New of Indiana, who. with Senator
Lodge, has been one of the bipartisan
conference on the treaty. Then the
discussion continued for another
hour.
Eight republican senators. headed
by Senators Johnson of California
and Borah of Idaho, and claiming to
represent other senators. were the
prime movers in bringing about this
conference.
Some of the senators in the confer
ence with Senator Lodge declared that
the reception of the protests would
affect the republican leadership and
unity in the Senate. while one. Sena-
tor Sherman of Illinois, stated after
the conference that he would leave
the republican party and join third
party if the republicans support
"emasculated" reservations.
The conference of republicans with
Senator Lodge was held in Senator John
sons office and attended by Senators
Borah Knox of Pennsylvania. Poindex-
ter of Washington, Sherman and Nc
Corrnick of Illinois, Brandegee of Con-
necticut, and Moses of New Hampshire
Count on Thirty-EiEht Votes.
One of those present declared that
they count on support of thirty-eight
votes. or enough to prevent ratification,
if their protest against modifying the
Lodge reservations is not needed.
Except for brief statements from Sem
ators Lodge and johnson, and
lengthy statement from Senator Sher-
man, few of the senators participating
in the conference would talk for pub
lication. Mr.. Lodge said the senators
who called him to the meeting repre-
sented "a large group of senators who
want no change in the Lodge reserva-
tions" Senator Johnson declared that
the Lodge reservations were said by
Mr. Lodge to be 1.-The irreducible mini
mum" Others in the meeting stated
privately that the question of a treaty
compromise on republican solidarity
and leadership in the Senate and in
the country was discussed.
"Party Solidarity Threatened"
'Were there any threats to bolt the
republican leadership or the party" was
asked one of the republican conferees.
Il would rather not answer that
question" came a hesitant reply. Party
solidarity is threatened; that is all
care to say
Senator johnson was asked regarding
reports, widely circulated in Senate lob
by gossip. that declarations had been
made of a third party movement and
''bolI from republican Senate leader
ship if the Lodge reservations are modi-
fed, and the California member replied
"Poppycock; l haven't such
thought