Omaha daily bee., 1920-02-21
Both Republicans and Demo-
Gratis Seek to Wash Hands of
Failure to Take Definite Ac-
tion on Peace Treaty. \
| NOTE OF HOPELESSNESS
MARKS DISCUSSION
Hitchcock Starts Argument
Over Which Party Led in e.
fort to Compromise -Bi-Par
tisan Conference Discussed.

Washington. Feb. W-Ihe ques-
ton of party responsibility for the
peace treaty deadlock was threshed
over in militant fashion on the sem
ate floor today with both the repub-
licans and the democrats seeking to
wash their hands of the senate's
failure to act aud of any con-
sequences in the political campaign,
Although both Sides professed all
earnest desire to compromise and
squabbled for the credit for past
compromise efforts, there was such,
a note of hopelessness in the dis
.cussion that the treaty's irreconcil-
able opponents told the opposing
party leaders that they might as we'll
put the question of ratification. ont
OF their minds and turn the senate's
attention to the business of legisla-
ton.
Among other things the debate
brought out direct disagreement
OF, fact as to which side originated
the bipartisan conference, in which
five democrats and four republicans
sought unsuccessfully to work out
an agreement and as to what trans
pred behind the closed doors of the
conferences sessions.
Hitchcock Starts Flare Up.
Senator Hitchcock of Nebraska
the democratic leader, started the
flare up by a speech, denying
charges that the democrats wanted
the treaty in the campaign. He as
serted that his party had gone "nine-
tenths of the way to a compromise
and that the republicans had stood
solidly for acceptance of their own
reservations, without the dotting OF
an i or the crossing of a t." ...
1t was the minority, he declared,
who had instigated the bipartisan
movement and who now had sub
mltted two compromise article 10
reservations which many republican
senators believed were identical in
substance with the Lodge resolution
OH that subject g.
Claiming credit for the republicans
iii the initiation Of the bipartisan
conference, Senator Lenroot Of Wis
consin, one OF the mild reservation
republicans, charged the democratic
leader had stood out against COM
promise so determinedly that the re-
publicans were driven to agree upon,
the best compromise they could
among themselves.
May Vote Today
Senator Borah, republican. Idaho,
speaking for the irreconcilibles, de-
ci' red the two sides were no nearer
agreement than they were when the
league of nations debate began a
year ago tomorrow and that further
discussion only was waste of time
The treaty. he said, already was so
far into the campaign that you
can no more keep it out than you
can step halfway over Niagara"
The disagreement over what oc-
Cured in the bipartisan conference
arose when Senator Mckellar of
Tennessee, one of the democratic
conferees asserted that all of the
nine members except Senator Hitch
cock and Senator Lodge, the repub-
lican leader, had virtually agreed to
one of the Article ten substitutes for
nlally endorsed since by 40 demo-
Gratis. The statement was denied
categorically by Senators New. Of
Indiana, and Lenroot, who were re-
publican members of the conference.
Leaders said tonight that the de-
bate would be continued tomorrow
and that vote might be reached
during the day on the first proposed
modification of the reservations
adopted at the. last session of con-
gress.