The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1920-08-04
LAWYERS WOULD
RAT|FY TREATY
American Bar Association Favors
Adoption of the Versailles Pact
Without Amendments
(Associated Press)

st. Louis, Aug. 4.-Ratlflcatlon OF
the peace treaty, including the league
of nations covenant, without amend
ments, will be recommended at the
convention of the American Bar As
sociation here, August % to n, in-
elusive. The recommendation will be
in the majority report of special
committee appointed to consider the
treaty.
The committee which signed the re-
port was composed of Edgar A. Ban
croft, of Chicago, William Fl. Wad-
hams, of New York, and the late
Frederick N. Judson. of this city.
Charles Blood Smith, of Topeka,
Kan, and Henry st. Geo. Tucker, OF
Lexington, Va, will present a minor
ity report, in which they assert they
are unable to concur" with the ma
jority committee.
Sections of reports to be presented
at the convention have been received
by members of the local arrange
ments committee. The reports treat
of various subjects.
"Your committee is of the opinicn
that the treaty including the propos-
ais for a league of nations. should be
ratified without amendment" the ma
jority report of the treaty declares.
"The world is anxious to return to a
more settled condition which awaits
the termination of the great war. If
amendments are proposed by the
United States. other governments
would undoubtedly propose amend
ments, and it is unlikely that sec
ond conference could produce a mere
satisfactory treaty.
at is particularly fitting that the
United States should support the pro-
posal for this league. The league is
based upon our own experience in a
fedration of states enjoying liberty
and peace 1t has been our high des-
tiny to join with our allies in prevent
ing the destruction of liberty and
establishing it as the governing
principle in the life of the states.
"Upon entering the war we ex-
pressed it as our desire and purpose
to secure not only for ourselves, but
for all nations of the world, an endur-
ing peace, based upon those princi-
pies of liberty and of justice which
we enjoy. The league is organized
for that purpose. Should the United
States refuse to enter the league it
would defeat its organization; should
the United States join, it gives the
best assurance of it's success"
Dealing with the subjetc of amend
ment sand reservations. the report
iterates that amendments are de-
structive to the pact, and emphasizes
that only interpretative reservations
should be permitted.
Another report suggests that the
election of the president of the Unit
ed States and his inauguration be
brought nearer together, and that the
short session of the old Congress be
abandoned.
The interval between the election
and inauguration of a president, this
report declares, is serious evil
fraught with much danger, because
if an administration is discredited by
q popular vote of want of confidence
the prestige of the government al
home and abroad is weakened and
disaster to the republic" The report
does not recommend any other date
for the election or the inauguration.
Recommendation that the making
of rules for the conduct of aviation be
held in allegiance until airplanes be.
come more numerous, is set forth IN
another report.
The committee on international Law
will present a report which states
that, after outlining developments o.
the reconstruction period, it "find.
little to record of wise and final ad
iustment or of complete record
Commenting on the meeting of thu
organization committee of the per
manent court of international justict
under the league of nations, the re
port says: "At last body distinctl!
legal, a body of our cloth and pro
fession, is seeking. and is given Al
opportunity to organize internationa
justice and prepare for its enforce
ment in the world"
A large number of prominen
speakers are expected to address tn
association, including Sir Aucklan'
Geddes, British ambassador to tn
United States; Franklin X. Lane
former secretary of the interior; Al
bert j. Beveridge. of Indiana, forme
United States senator, and Judg
Ben B. Lindsey of Denver. Hampton
L. Carson, of Philadelphia, is pres;
dent of the association.
A number of important allied bod
les will meet here in conjunction wiz
the convention. They include the ma
tional conference of commissioners o.
uniform laws, conference of dele
gates form state and local bar asso
Citations, association of American laS