New-York tribune., 1920-01-05
Mild Reservationists Seek
ing Compromise Hope
to Agree Soon; Smith
Discussion Is Postponed
Hitchcock's Stand
May Prolongg g Fight
Lenroot Reservation on
Voting Power Feared
TO Be Stumbling Block
By Carter Field
Nea0 York Tribune
W0sh;u uutno, R.,,..c,,

NeW York Tribune
Washington Bureau
WASHINGTON, Jan. 4-The Senate
Will meet tomorrow after it's holiday
recess with no definite compromise on
the peace treaty worked out, but with
every element, except the "irrecon
cilables" in a more conciliatory frame
of mind.
The meeting Of liberal Democratic
senators planned for to-day and called
yesterday by Senator Hoke Smith, of
Georgia, was postponed by the Georgia
Senator, it was explained by Senator
King, of Utah, one of those who in.
tended to be present, because so manv
OF the Senators who were counted on
to take part had not reached Wash
ington.
Senator King went to Senator Smiths
home and the two talked over the COM
promise idea.
Senator Smith thought" said Sem
ator King tonight, chat as several of
the Senators who would be with us in
working out compromise were not in
town they might resent our acting in
their absence, and might suspect that
wheels were working within wheels.
1--WE agreed, therefore, to postpone
the meeting until some time later this
week"
Underwood Due January Is
Senator Underwood, of Alabama.
Of Lo
Tor compromise. who was not con-
suited i'll the meeting scheduled for
to-day, is not expected back in Wash
ington until January Is, the date of
the Democratic caucus, at which the
hight between Senator Underwood and
Senator Hitchcock for the Democratic
leadership will be decided.
The inspiration of the meeting
planned for to-day, it was learned,
Florida, and Chamberlain, Of Oregon.
Senator Chamberlain voted for some Of
the Lodge reservations when the treaty
was before the Senate, and Mr.. Tram
mel voted against ratification without
reservations.
1t has been recognized for some days
by the mild reservationists" on the
Republican side, who were much dis
appointed at the failure of the pro-
posed meeting to materialize to-day,
that the compromising would have to
be done by Democrats not associated
too closely with either Senator Hitch
cock, who has been the Administration
leader, or Senator Underwood, his riva,
for leadership.
Believe Hitchcock Opposed
Their idea is that Senator Hitch
cock is too strongly opposed to any
compromise for which enough Repub-
lican votes could be gained to ratify
the treaty. On the other hand, while
they think Senator Underwood is will
ing to go as far as necessary, negotia-
tions conducted by him would lead to
so much jealousy, owing to the fac
tional fight in the Democratic ranks,
that the move would be blocked by
some strategical maneuver on the
part of the friends of Senator Hitch
cock long before it could be de-
veloped.
1t was this line of thought which led
to the invitation extended by the Re-
publican "mild reservationists" to Sem
ator Pomerene recently to confer with
Senator Lodge.
Senator Hitchcock. in the opinion of
the mild group of Republicans, etfectu-
ally blocked any hope of success which
this move had when inspired. AS soon
as he heard Of it Mr.. Hitchcock called
u meeting Of the Democratic members
of the Foreign Relations Committee to
be held at his home within few hours
after Mr.. Pomerene conferred with
Mr.. Lodge, so that Mr.. Pomerepe could
make a report. =
Compromise Appeared Impossible
This created a mental attitude on
the part Of Senator Lodge and Senator
Pomerene, the mild group Senators
point out, which made any hope of
reaching real compromise impossible.
Mr.. Pomerene could not lose sight of
the fact that he was to report to his
colleagues on the committee within
few hours. Neither could Mr.. Lodge.
Mr.. Lodge could not escape the fact
that anything in the nature of con-
cession ne might make would merely be
used as new basis for demanding
group AS soon as Nh. Pomerene re-
ported it.
Senators Smith and King, in their
conferences today, are understood to
have discussed a proposed change in
the Article X reservation, to the effect
that instead of the United States as
suming to guarantee the territorial in
tegrity of all the nations in the league.
it would merely guarantee the terri
torial integrity of the new nations set
up by the peace treaty. Such pro-
posal was made as a substitute for the
Article X reservation during the vot-
ing on reservations which preceded
the defeat Of the peace treaty. hut thnt
vote was held to be not narticularlv
significant, ss the yescrvationists