Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1920-01-01
ARTICLE ten
Bone of Contention of
Treaty Conferees

senate Leaders on Both Sides Busy
Considering Compromise Susses.
tions - Elimination Process Has
Simplified Points to Be comprom-
ised
Washington. Dec 31-Getting down
to facts in the discussion of a peace
treaty compromise, Republican and
Democratic senators today found
! that Article 10 still presented the big
gest stumbling block in the way OF
ar agreement.
The Senate leaders Of both political
parties again were active during the
day in the compromise negotiations
and the scene of affairs was regard
ed as generally indicating that the
situation soon might take more def
mite form. On all sides it was said
that although no agreement was yet
in sight, the sitting process had
cleared away many collateral points
and had conferred attention on u very
few reservations. notably the one re-
lating to Article TO-
1t was the reservation on this point
as framed by the foreign relations
committee at the last session which
President Wilson characterized as
meaning Il rejection of the treaty. De-
termined to secure some modification,
Democratic senators have submitted
some suggestions. but all of them so
far have been rejected. The Repub-
llcans in turn. have suggested chang
es which the Democrats regard as
notifications of language only.
Three conferences attracted partic-
uiar attention among the many which
were held today regarding the treaty.
senator Lodge, Massachusetts. the
Republican leader, went over COM
promise suggestions with Senator
Pomerene of Ohio. a Democratic
member Of the foreign relations COM
mittee. Later Secretary Tumulty
went to the Capitol. and. speaking for
the President, discussed the situa-
ton with Senator Hitchcock of Ne
braska. the acting leader Of the
Democrats. Tonight Mr.. Hitchcock of
Nebraska, the acting leader of the
Democrats. Tonight Mr.. Hitchcock of
Nebraska called into consultation all
or the Democratic members of the
! committee who are in the city. De-
tails of none of these meetings were
revealed but it was understood that
in all CT them specific reservation
changes were discussed, and that in
| each instance Article 10 figured
prominently
AS a committee member who work
ed for unreserved ratification and
later voted for acceptance of the Re-
publican reservation program. sena-
tor Pomercne is understood to have
given Senator Lodge a comparative
estimate of compromise sentiment
among the Democrats and to have
gone into details in outlining how
1ar he thought the administration
senators will be willing to 20 in re-
gard to Article 10.
| secretary Tumulty said the DUR
pose of his call on Senator Hitch
COCK was to obtain, at President Will
sons request, the latest information
about the Senate situation. He de-
| clared he did not take to the Capito]
any new compromise scheme, though,
TT is assumed that the Democratic
Senate leader took the opportunity to
| inquire about Mi. Wilson's attitude
toward compromise.
The meeting tonight of the for.
eign relations committee Democrats
was understood to have taken steps
to reduce to definite form Demo
cratic proposals for re-drafting the
Republican reservations. The sub
ject was considered in the light OF
the information obtained during the
| day by Senators Hitchcock and Pom
creme. and with view to framing a
program behind which the admins.
tration forces could unite.
1t was the first atttmpt of the
Democratic committee members to
get together on such a program
Those who were present declined to
discuss details Of the meeting, but
said some progress had been made.
Besides Article Ten the majority
| reservation regarding voting power
| in the League Of Nations figured
| prominently in the days discussions
Some administration Senators took
the position that the reservation
| would completely disqualify such do
| minions as Canada and Australia
from voting on any question.
Among the Republicans. however
there was a feeling that if the Ar
ticle Ten qualification could be
smoothed out, the issue over voting
power easily could be disposed of
Much the same opinion seemed to be
held by both Democrats and Repub-
leans in regard to suggested changes
in regard to Shantung and in the
preamble requirement that the other
powers must accept the Senate's ac-
ton affirmatively. It was declared
that while no attempt had been made
to settle these issues while the Ar
ticle Ten disagreement continued.
there were indications that they
would be regarded much less diff
c,,1t occo tho ma iSSna uyaS 6ooidod