New-York tribune., 1920-01-29
Threatens Motion in Sem
ate to Take Up Matter in
len Days if Conference
Does Not Agree To-day
Und derWOOd Plan
''Feeler'' Put Out
Reputed Changes by the
BipartisanCommittee in
Reservations Revealed
Nep York 7'r1buns
Washington, Bureau

hitchcock, acting minority leader and
member of the unofficial bipartisan
committee on compromise reservations
to the league OF nations covenant, said
tonight that unless to-morrow's con
ference Of that committee develops an
agreement on reservations or shows
That such an agreement is in sight, he
will give notice of his intention to call
the peace treaty up on the iloor Of the
Senate at the end Of ten DAYS. He sad
the method to be followed would be to
make motion in the Senate to pro-
ceed to the cons liberation of the treaty.
81 have no doubt" Mr. Hitchcock
added, that We could get a majority
vote for that motion. and q majority
vote is all that is required.
"After that" continued 'be Senator,
"tho reservations could be presented as
r whole or individually, as Senator
Lodge presented them before. / think
the disposition of the unofficial con-
ference is to take the reservations so
far as we have tentatively agreed on
them as the basis of consideration on
tne moor Oh the Sen$lc.
because a number of Senators are
absent from the city | favor giving
ten days notice of my intention to
make the motion to bring the treaty
up on the floor. In the mean time we
could get the number Of Senators nee
essary to make the plan successful. If
the reservations were agreed upon IN
advance it would be almost certain
that cloture rule would be adopted
to curtail dcbate.''
White House Puts Out "Feeler"
White House officials evidently put
out "fecler" to-day to see how the
country might take a proposal to have
the plan of formal Cancellation by a
duly constituted Senate committee sub
stituted for the unofficial conferences
if they fail tomorrow. Such plan
was suggested by Senator Underwood,
of Alabama, "a rival of Senator Hitch
cock for the minority leadership, sew
eral weeks ago. but has not been
pressed. The Underwood resolution
provides for committee of five Re
publicans and five Democrats, TO be
appointed by the Vice President to
work out compromise reservations.
The word was passed out at the
White House this morning that Presi-
Underwood plan if the unofficial con-
ferences fail tomorrow, but this at
ternoon the same officials denied that
the report was correct. The meaning
of this move was not apparent unless
it was their purpose 10 see how the
report sent broadcast to newspapers
appealed to the country, or unless the
offic al responsible is personally tired
of Senator Hitchcock's leadership, be-
icves the time has come TO change,
and took "hyer" himself without
consulting the President.
Months ago there we're persistent re-
ports that the President was not salts
fed with Mr. Htchcock's management
OF the treaty fight, but they were set
at rest when the President subse-
quently talked with the Nebraska Sena-
tor several times.
But in view OF other manifestations
of political activity on the part Of the
Administration to build UP some of its
fences it would not surprise many
Senators if the report that Mr. Hitch
cock is to be shelvcd proved true in
the end Despite the denial it is quite
likely to cause friends OF the Under
wood plan to take heart and to give
some of them courage to try 10 put it
through.
Changes in Lodge Reservations
What purportcd to be a copy of the
Lodge reservations as they had been
changed in the unofficial conferences
made its appearance mysteriously to-
day. 1t showed minor changes IN sew
eral of the Lodge reservations and the
preamble the reservation to Article \
as it was outlined by Senator Hitch
cock yesterday; entirely new reserva-
tions for Nos. T and 10, the latter re-
lating TO limitation of armaments and
substitute proposed. but not adopted
for reservation No. ii relating to the
voting power of members of the league
The proposed list appeared as follows
"ResOlved (two-thlrdS OF the senators
present concurring therein), That the
Senate advise and consent TO the
ratification of the treaty OF peace with
Germany concluded at Versailles on the
2Sth day of June. 1919, subject to the
following reservations and understand
ings. which are hereby made a part
and condition of this resolution OF
ratification. which ratification is not
to take effect or bind the United States
until the said reservations and under
standings adopted by the Senate have
been accepted as a part and condition
of this resolution or ratification by the
Allied and associated powers, to VIZ
NFPuL Brltaln, L rance, lldIN ana japan
and the failure on the part Of the
Allied and associated powers to make
objections to such reservations anc
understandings prior to the deposit OF
the ratification by the United States
shall be taken as full acceptance OF
such reservations and understandings
by said powers.
THAT the United States so under
( stands and constructs Article | that il
case of notice of withdrawal from the
league of nations, as provided in saio
article, the United States shall be the
sole Judge as to whether all its in
ternational obligations and all It's obli-
cations under the said covenant have
been fulfilled, and notice Of with
drawa by the United States may be
given by joint resolution Of the Con-
gress of the United States.
Changed Article X Reservation
"2. The United States assumes no
obligation to employ its military OF
naval forces or by economic boycott
to preserve the territorial integrity or
political independence of any other
country or to interfere in controvers les
between nations, whether members OF
the league or not, under the provisions
OF Article X, or to employ the military
Continued on page five