The daily banner. (Cambridge, Md.) 1897-2008, 1920-02-09
WILSON FIRM ON
TREATY STAND
ReneWs Objections to Some 0,
the Reservations.
DEMOCRATS HEAR LETTER
Minority to Cooperate in Reopening
Treaty and in Working For a Com

Washington, Feb. "a letter from
President Wilson, renewing his obJec-
tion to some features of the peace
treaty reservations framed by the Re
publican majority of the senate, fur
niShrG the basis of an earnest discus
sion in con 'erenCe of Democratic
senators called 20 cons d. what
course the treaty's friends should pur-
sue when ii again comes before the
senate next week.
The only decision reached WAS to
cooperate in the parliamentary action
necessary to reopen the question OF
ratification, and the work for an ac-
ceptable compromise on reservations.
Just what sort OF compromise should
be considered acceptable was debated
in the light of carrying interpre' ations
of the presidents letter, but there was
no attempt to frame a definite reser-
walton program.
Striking directly at the Republican
reservation on article ten and various
proposed substitutes. the pres dent
wrote that any reservation which said
| that tine United States assumes nc
| obligation under such and such an
article unless or except" would be
likely TO "chill' the relationship be
tween this country and the other pow
| ers. A substitute article ten reserva
ton containing this language, which
! had been under consideration by the
recently disbanded bipartisan compro
| mise committee, the president wrote
was every unfortunate" in form
! though he agreed with its substance.
The letter was written on Januar!
| 20, while The bipartisan negotiation:
were in progress and before publica
ton of the letter of Viscount Grey
former British ambassador to thu
| United States, on the acceptability q.
the Republican reservations. 1t wa'
! addressed to Senator Hitchcock, o
| Nebraska, the Democratic leader o
the senate who laid it before the con
! ference.
| Wide disagreement was revealed il
the conference and in private discus
sion among the senator's regarding thu
! probable effect of the communication
on the treaty's chances of ratification
| Some interpreted the letter as merel.
a reiteration Of the views previOusl.
expressed by the executive, While 9th
ers professed to see in it a tendenc,
! toward compromise.
Comparing it with former utterance
| of the president, these senator's point
ed out that it contained no statemen
that he considered the language quot
ed as multiplying the treaty of cOnsti
tuting a rejection.
| Senator Hitchcock declared n
change in the Democratic attitude wa
indicated, either by the letter or tn
proceedings Of the conference. TIL
Democratic senate forces remained de
termined, he said, not to accept tn
Republican article ten reservation ur
less it were modified.
In some quarters significance wa
seen in the fact that the letter of IN
president was written four days befor
the bipartisan negotiations collapsed
following the refusal Of the Reput
licans to consider modification of tn
reservations relating TO article ten an
Monroe Doctrine. 1t was Suggeste
hat the restatement of the president
attitude might have weight with tn
Democratic conferees in agreeing t
transfer the whole fight again into tn
senate.
Besides article ten, the presiden
touched on the reservations respec
ing withdrawal and manufactures, say
ing he had no objection to qualities
tons on these subjects. He also CAV
his approval { the Interpretive resel
vations presented by Senator Hitcf
cock just before the treaty failed c
ratification last November.