The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1920-03-26
SAYS CHANGES
NULL|FY TREATY
In Letter to Senator Hitchcock
President RestateS His Posi-
ton With Great PoSitiveness.
HOPE FOR LEAGUE PERSISTS.
Most Democrats Will Stand by Presi-
de;.t in Refusing to Modify Meaning
of Article x-Lodge Will Not
Accept Taft Reservation.

cal phrases, or leaving the slightest
loophole for misconstruction, the Pres
ident made it perfectly clear that he
will not countenance any reservations
to the peace treaty which repudiate
the moral obligations imposed under
Article X of the league covenant.
He stands firm in the position as
sumed during his western speaking
tour and subsequent utterances.
There is not the slightest hint that
compromise in principle will be ac-
cepted, or that notifications will be
exchanged after qualification" from
his viewpoint, has been accomplished.
In a letter to Senator Hitchcock,
made public, the President goes at
length into the reasons why Article X
must stand as written. Any reserva-
ton, he writes, which takes force away
from this article "cuts the very heart
and life of the covenant itself"
Without the guarantee of political
independence and integrity, the Presi-
dent declares, any League of Nations
Knight be hardly more than a futile
scrap of paper, as ineffective in opera
ton as the agreement between Belgium
and Germany which the Germans vio-
la in 1914"
The President makes it plain there
must be no middle ground and that
the United States either must enter the
league accepting full responsibility or
remain out of it and "retire as grace
fully as possible from the great con-
cert of powers by which the world was
| saved"
1t also Is made apparent that the
President regards nearly all of the res
ed as being sin effect actual nullifica-
lions of these articles"
To make his point stronger, and ap-
parently to indicate his desire to have
no middle ground taken the President
refers to the groups known as 'reser-
vationists' and mild reservationists,"
and says, But I cannot understand
the difference between a nullifier and
a mild nullifier."
The Presidents letter to Senator
Hitchcock followed request from the
minority leader that Mr.. Wilson per-
nit Senator Simmons to confer with
him on the general treaty situation.
The President takes the written meth
cd of making his views known.
An even 100 copies of the letter
were sent Mr.. Hitchcock for distribu-
ton among his associates on the floor
1t did not create a sensation because
it was generally regarded as an ampli-
fcation of opinions well understood
reinforced by some additional argu'
ments.
Republican and Democratic leaders
announce that they will proceed with
their programs regardless of the Pres
ident's letter. Hitchcock says that he
and the other 80 Democrats who sign
ed written pledge to acceI either
the bipartisan or the Taft reservation
on Article X, if proposed by the Re
publicans, will stand right by their
agreement.
In any event negotiations for COM
promise will continue as if nothing
had happened. Simmons and Watson
will exchange views and suggestions in
the desperate hope that some pathway
out of the difficulty will be found. II
is declared that compromise agree
ment will not be proclaimed unless
sufficient votes are pledged for its
adoption.
1t was emphatically asserted by
Lodge that the Republicans never will
accept the Taft reservation on Arti-
Gle Y.