Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1920-01-03
MILD RESERvA}|ON|STS
MAY LEAD DEMOCRATS
Senate Coalition Forming to Seek
Treaty Harmony; Lodge Sticks
To His Own Plan.

Washington, Jan. 3.-The Dernorratic
program for compromise on the peace
treaty is now in the making.
While the Senate Democrats are OPP
posed to offering direct proposals, way
around the difficulty has been found
The Democratic suggestions arc 10 come
ostensibly from the mild rescrvationist
group of Republicans.
Democrats will claim no credit for
helping frame the compromise. They
will not even admit having a hand in it,
but they will vote for it.
The Democratic program is to be hand
ed TO the mild reservationists within a
short timo, according to present plans.
This may be within twenty-four hours,
or within a week II embodies four
points, upon which Democratic leaders
have already tentatively outlined their
position 10 the mild reservation'sts.
These points will relate to the preamble
article Y, reservation IA, and Shantung.
The mild reservatioDista are To hand
the Democratic proposals to Senator
Lodge, after they have worked out an
agreement with the Democrats on them.
Upon MIR Lodges verdict, his friends say,
will depend their acceptance or rejection
by the additional Senator'S whc sc support
is necessary TO effect ratification. Sena-
tori lodges position IS such that 1t sp-
pears certain he will withhold his assent
from these or any other proposals until
there is absolute certainty that they will
command "a votes
With the situation IN this State today
leaders ON both sides agreed that tho final
settlement and ratification arc probably
many days off.
Both MIR Lodge and Mr. Hitchcock
today held important treaty conferences.
The Republican leader saw Senator
Swanson. . Democratic member Of the
foreign relations committee: Senator Nc
Mary, mild rcscrvationist leader; Sena-
tor lenroot strong rcservationist, and
Senator Capper, Lodge reservationist
MIR Hitchcock called in Senators Swan
son and Ming, the latter Of whom has
written s set ~ reservations.
The net result Of the conferences, ac-
cording to these who attended them, was
TO increase the hopefulness which now
adavs pervades the Capitol. but no
definite basis for which has yet been found
by even the most optimistic Senator
Senator Swanson, Il was stated after
his conference with Mr.. Lodge, did not
ask tho Republican leader 70 consider
any concrete program.
Mr. NcNary discussed the forthcoming
Democratic proposals and tho possibility
of getting enough votes for them lie
also advised Mr. Lodge that unless evi-
dences Of activity were continued Sena-
tor Underwood s resolution for an official
Cancellation committee would he adopted
after the recess with the aid OF several
Republican votes.
I hae al nx col
bis hostility 10 this resolution and is
70 be somewhat disturbed Mt
the prospect that Republicans will SUP
port it in sufficient numbers 10 pass ii.
with the aid Of the Democrats Mr.
Lodges opposition to IL is founded. II is
undo rstood. upon his unwiIlingncss that
I Democrats should even appear 10
Get credit Tor bringing about q settle
ment
Senator Ienroot sand that his talk with
Senator Lodge added nothing TO his
concerning the situation. but
he hintcd that the next day or two might
bring interesting developments.
Mr. Capper found Mr.. Lodge quite SIS
partial 10 the Lodge reservations as he
ever was and said that he and the Re-
publican leader agreed thoroughly that
thc Lodge program must stand without
change
Senator Lodge said after his conference
that the outlook was good He WAS
still waiting. he said. for something con-
crete from the other side So fer as he
5 concerned the program on which he
stands is known, and his sponsorship OF
hat program has not diminished
The Democratic conference in s nator
Hitchcock ; OF &c did not produce all
hat was expected of 1t by some Senators
n the way Of tangible results. This,
lowever, was due to the absence Of GER
ain Democrats. whose advice was de-
ired Al It's conclusion MIR Hitchcock
ienied that the Democrats would sub
nit definite Yr)posals, on the ground.
nat they were not in position 70 do SO
Ie said the Hitchcock reservations which
.e presented at the last session represent
d the extent TO which he was authorized
O go