The Pensacola journal., 1920-03-20
Necessary Two-Thirds Is Seven
Short and President Is
Given Final Answer.
FLETCHER VOTES YEA
Both Florida Senators Join Rat
ification Group With Nine
~ Other Democrats.

Washington, Mar. 10. - The peace
treaty again failed of ratification to-
night in the senate, the resolution con-
tanning Republican reservations failing
to receive the necessary two-thirds
majority. The vote was 49 for ratifi-
cation TO 35 against. There were %
Republicans and 81 Democrats for it;
IL Republicans and % Democrats
against It. Fletcher and Trammell of
Florida, and Smith of Georgia, voted
for ratification of the treaty. Harris
of Georgia, Harrison and Williams of
Mississippi, voted against it.
After ratification failed by seven
votes, a move was made to reconsider
the vote but this collapsed, leaders OF
both sides agreeing this would be a
waste of time. The senate before ad-
journment voted to send the treaty
back to the president with notifica-
tion that it finally had refused to adj
wise and consent to ratification. The
result is generally considered as throw
ing into the campaign the long and
bitter treaty fight.
Whether the president would return
the treaty to the senate remained un-
determined tonight but Republicans
served notice that If he did it would
repose for many weeks in a committee
pigeon hole
The next step planned by Repub
Hcans is the declaration of a state of
peace to relieve the nation of the war
status which Democrats maintain can
be ended only by treaty ratification.
The fight on this probably will begin
Monday.
In this vote of At to 81 by which
the senate washed its hands of the
treaty and sent it to the White House,
the Republican leaders had the support
of the mild reservationists and the ir
reconcilables of their party. while the
Democrats voted almost solidly in op
position.
Republican Leader Lodge made the
motion for sending the treaty back
to the president. Democratic Leader
Hitchcock pleaded that action be with
held a few days, saying there is al
ways chance of action" Hitchcock
also objected to a request by Lodge
for unanimous consent to take another
vote on ratification tonight made after
Senator Robinson's reconsideration
motion had been ruled out.
During the seven hours debate that
preceded the vote. the Republicans de-
clared themselves ready TO take the
issue to tie people. Several Democrats
bitterly assailed the president for his
stand and declared the administration
could not afford to carry the issue as
it presented itself today. into the cam
paign There was no reply from those
who opposed ratification.
Preparing for the final vote on rati-
fication the senate adopted the modi-
fled res ervation preamble worked out
in the bipartisan conference under
which affirmative acceptance of the
reservations by the other powers would
not be required.
The preamble provided that failure
on the part of the allied and associated
powers TO make objection to said re-
servations and understandings prior
TO the deposit of ratification by the
United States shall be taken as a full
and final acceptance of such reserva-
tions and understandings by said
powers
The preamble was offered by SEN
ator Lodge OF Massachusetts. the Re-
publican leader and accepted without
a roll call
BY a vote OF Al to 80 the senate re-
fused TO write into the preamble a
provision that the ratification should
not be binding unless the president
deposited 1t within ninety days after
the senate acted.
The amendment was presented by
Senator Brandegee, Republican of
Connecticut, and was supported by SS
Republicans. and Senators Reed of
Missouri. Shields of Tennessee, and
Walsh of Massachusetts, Democrats
while Senators Cummins of Iowa:
Jones of Washington, and Townsend
of Michigan, Republicans, voted against
It. R1ik