The Madison journal. (Tallulah, Madison Parish, La.) 1888-current, 1920-01-17
COMP ROM|SE ON
TREATY IS HOPE
MANY SENATORS OF ALL GROUPS
DISPOSED TO GET TOGETHER
ON RATIFICATION.
PLAN THROUGH THE HOLIDAYS
Knox Resolution for Separate Peace
Considered a Last Resort-Modifed
Lodge Reservations Are Gaining
More Supporters.
BY JANIS p. HoRNADAY.


Washington.-The treaty of peace
with Germany will have its last chance
in the United States senate soon after
January D, tie date on which congress
will reaSsemble. a gOOdly number of
senator's have remained here during
the congressional recess for the en-
press purpose of trying TO arrive at an
agreement under which the treaty can
be ratified. Representatives of the
several groups into which the senate
divided on the treaty are participating
in the informal conferences that are
being held. No one, however well in
formed, would undertake to say at this
time what the outcome of this final
effort to pave the way for ratification
will be. All that can be said with
certainty is that senators representing
each of the political groups are show
ing disposition to forget what has
gone before and to get together on a
ratification resolution.
The senate will recOnvene with the
resolution offered by Senator Knox for
a separate peace with Germany on the
calendar subject to action ut any time.
This is joint resolution, which means
that to be adopted it would have to
receive a ma iority vote i'm both senate
and house, and having received such
vote it would go to the president for
his signature. In answering a question
submitted TO him by Senator Fall more
than two months ago, President Will
son said that under no circumstances
would he ever sign a resolution pro-
viding for separate peace with Ger
many, and so it is assured that If the
Knox resolution should go through
congress it would be vetoed, and that
would mean that it would have 10 re-
ceive a twO-thirds vote in each branch
of congress. or fall by the wayside.
Only as a Last Resort.
The Knox resolution is looked upon
| as the last resort. If all efforts to
compose the differences in the senate
on the treaty should fail, the Knox
resolution would. in the judgment of
1
command a majority vote in both SEN
| ate and house. 1t is doubtful, how
ever, say the best informed senators
and representatives. whether it could
ever command a twO-thirds majority.
For the next two weeks interest will
center not in the Knox resolution, but
in the sincere effort on the part of a
large number of senators TO revive the
treaty and open the way for its ratifi'
cation. The technically over the ques.
ton as to whether the treaty is still
before the senate is to be waived by
those senator's who believe that the
proper course would be for President
Wilson to withdraw the treaty and
resubmit it. In the conferences thai
are now going on and will continue
until the senate comes back after the
holidays, the sO-called Lodge reserva
lions, which failed some weeks ago
are being used as the basis for peace
negotiations. Those senator's who II
the earlier stages of the senate's worl
on the treaty favored ratification with
out reservations are now saying t,
senator's who have from the first in
sisted on reservations. that they ar
willing to accept without change th'
most of the Lodge reservations. The.
would like TO have the preamble, which
stipulates that the treaty shall no
become operative as to the Unitet
States until three of the four majo
allied nations shall accept the reserva
tons made by the United States sen
ate, stricken out. and they would Xix
to obtain notifications of three or fou
of the reservations.
How Allied Nations Feel.
Recent information that has come t
senators to the effect that Great Brit
ain, France, Italy and Japan will prob
ably be willing to accept most of tn
Lodge reservations provided the pre-
amble is eliminated. is having som
influence on the situation. Senator
are now led to believe that even tn
reservation expressing the disapprOva
, of the United States of the Shantun
: award in the treaty might be accept
able to Great Britain and Japan, pre-
vided the preamble is not made PAL
of the ratification resolution.
The negotiations that are under wa
: seek to eliminate partisan politics a
far as possible and necessarily the
, are not taking into account persons |
/ the senate or outside of that body VIII
hold uncompromising opinions wit
: respect TO the treaty.
|. May Reduce Size of House.
The census committee of the tw
branches of congress are alread
\ giving thought to the new al
I portionment of members of ii
| house of representatives, which wi
have to be worked out by them as 500
,; as the bureau of the census al
nounces the result of the new count {
| the people. At present there are AZ
1 members in the house. The consensu
| Of opinion among persons who hay
given the subject study is that this
/ too many; that a deliberative bod
/ composed of that number Of person
| becomes unwieldy and is not prOdu
| tive of the best results. But whe
the census committees get down