Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1920-05-11
REPUBLICANS SAY THEY
WELCOME TREATY ISSUE
Democrats Say Presidents Letter
Shows He Has Not Changed
His Attitude.

Washington, May 11.-There was re-
action among members of both parties
at tho Capitol yesterday to the President S
peace treaty letter to Oregon Democrats.
Republicans as a rule claimed they well
coined the issue as presented by the Presi-
dent. and Democrats insisted that the
letter did not indicate any change in MIR
Wilson's position nor his intention to
ask for an unqualified Endorsement of the
League of Nations, without amendment
"a the San Francisco convention.
senator Borah an irreconcilable Re-
publican, said he greatly admired the
consistency and courage of the President,
although he disagreed entirely with
the President regarding the peace treaty.
Senator Hitchcock said the President
letter should not be construed as de-
manding blanket Endorsement of the
League by the party convention; that
the President is willing now, as he al
ways has been, to accept compromise
reservations that are nor nullifylng.
\ number of Democratic Senators were
disinclined to comment on the Presidents s
letter because of political considerations
involved, or the feeling that the document
really had not changed the situation.
Senator Lodge, Republican floor leader,
stood upon his earlier comment of Sunday
night that, politically speaking, he was
glad the President had assumed the posi-
tlon he had and that 1t justified Repubii-
can opposition in the Senate to the treaty
Meanwhile Senator Lodge made plans
for calling the Knox peace resolution
again before the Senate today. Senate
Lodge said he intended to keep the
resolution before the Senate from day to
day until there is vote.
e4-Tbo proc1Iap4fc 4ol ctaar
and strong and presents his case in his
usual forceful manner said Senator
Underwood. His viewpoint Is not In
conflict with mine. ! offered a motion for
unconditional ratification when the treaty
was before us. | think that the letter
removes the controversy from the capitol
and carries the issue TO the conventions
at Chicago and San Francisco.
Senator Borah, an irreconcilable, said:
"The President is perfectly consistent.
His party will either have to follow HIM
or go to pieces. They must adopt the
League as the head of their party advocated
and indorsed it or they must repudiate
what amounts to the entire admlnlstra-
ton. While | utterly disagree with the
President as to his views, | frankly ex-
press my admiration of his consistent,
courageous course. 1t is exhiliratiag these
DAYS to see a man with courage enough
70 advocate his convictions regardless of
political consequences. The only thing
! wish to do with the League is to make
the issue simple and direct-a league or
no league-and let the American people
pass on it.
There is nothing new in the Presi-
dent S position, said Senator McNary,
a mild Republican rcservatlonist. HE
only reaffirIns what he has said from the
outset. The letter does not say he will
refuse to accept interpretatlve reseva-
tons.
Senators Swanson. Virginia; Simmons.
North Carolina; Ashurst, Arizona and
Pomerene, Ohio, were among Democra-
tic senators who declined to discuss the
letter IN any way.
Senator Hitchcock, of Nebraska, rank
ing Democrat of the Foreign Relations
Committee. said:
The Administration Democrats will
not demand plank in the party plat
form at San Francisco for unqualified
ratification Of the treaty with the League
OF Nations. That became impossible
months ago The President has not taken
that position. He has never been against
compromise or reservations. He has been
against destructive reservations. such as
Senator Lodge 5 reservations. In my opin-
ion party plank on the treaty will be just
about as the President wrote il in his tele-
gram. 1t will advocate the League, and
condemn the Lodge reservations.