The Washington herald., 1920-01-01
DEMOCRATS SEEKING
WAY OUT OF TANGLE
Pomerene, Pittman and
Swanson Confer With Ne
braskan-Henry White
Advises Concessions.
Viscount Grey Opposes
Limiting Voting Power.

President Wilson yesterday broke
his long period of inactivity with
respect to the peace treaty and as
sumed personal charge of Gle fight
to bring about ratification by the
Senate.
He sent Secretary Tumulty to
the Capitol to confer with Senator
Hitchcock and other Senators in
the administration group for the
purpose of ascertainins the exact
situation regarding the treaty and
the prospects for favorable action
shortly after the Ieooy-s;es OF
Congress. II
President Stands Firm
Prior to his visit to the Sen
ators, Secretary Tumulty spent
some time with the President, who
went over many phases of the
treaty situation. Secretary Tum-
ulty spent nearly two hours dis
cussing the situation with Senator
Hitchcock and others, leaving the
Capitol shortly before 5 o'clock to
make his report to the President.
The immediate effect OF Secre-
tary Tumulty's visit. was to cast
an atmosphere of gloom upon the
Senators on the Democratic side
who have been bending their ener-
gies to bring about a compromise
by means of reservations which
they hoped the President would be
willing to accept. The impression
these Senators received was that
the President is more disinclined
than ever to yield TO any sort Of
ratification except the uncondi-
tional ratification upon which he
has always insisted.
Receives No Message.
Senator Hitchcock declined TO COM
ment upon his talk with the Presi-
dents secretary. He said that his
understanding Of Secretary Tum-
ulty's visit to the Capitol was that
he was just cruising around Try
ing to find out what the treaty situa-
ton was"
But disappointment was written
plainly upon Senator Hitchoock's face
when he stated that Secretary
Tumulty brought him no message
from the President and that he car
ried no message back to the Presi-
dent. It has been the hope Of these
Administration Senators, who are
reconciled to the conviction that rati-
fcation Of the kind the President de-
mands is impossible to obtain. that
when the President spoke he would
bestow upon them some sort OF Gp-
proval OF their earnest efforts 20 bring
about ratification on the best terms
obtsinable.
Senator Hitchcock and his asso-
cistes know that ratification without
reservations cannot be gained. and
the Presidents failure 10 recognise
this to be the fact caused them con-
siderable disheartenment after SEQ
retary Tumulty had fitted in and out
of their ofices without any message
Of Presidential good cheer.
Strive for Compromise.
Convinced Of the hopelessness %
the situation so far as compliance
with the Presidents desires Is con-
eerned. senstor Hitchcock permitted
1t to be known that he ana other Al
ministration Senator'S intend TO con-
tinue their efforts TO bring about q
compromise on the reservations and
send the treaty TO the President for
his approval or dissppnovsi. In ac-
cordsnce with this purpose. Senator
Hitchcock invited Senators Pomerene.
Pittman and Swanson. all Democratic
members Of the Foreign Relations
Committee, TO his house last night 10
discuss methods for bringing such q
compromise about
The meeting at Senator Hitchccck.s
house was entirely informal ana wa
,o~rr~r-ur ow pacR 80.