The Washington times., 1920-05-11
jOHNSONFLAYS.
HOOVER STAND
Senator Calls Treaty Issue Clear
To Everybody Except Ex-
Food Administrator.

President Wilson's demand upon the
Democrats for an unqualified in
dorsement'of the Versailles treaty in
their convention platform has tight
eued the treaty issue for the cam
psign.
a. 1t has driven distinct line OF
'cleaverage. between the two parties.
il has stripped the issue OF all quail
tying phrases. such AS talk OF reser-
Sations, interpretstiVe or destructive,
and has brought the parties to a clean
cut division, on the question OF treaty
or no treaty. league or no league.
Conceding that the President will
have his way in the framing OF the
Darty's declaration in the San Fran
cisco convention-and there are few
among the Democrats in Washington
today who would not grant that he
viii have his way-the Democrats
VIII go before the people at the No
Member election on an Endorsement
? of the treaty as II stands, condem-
, pation OF the Lodge reservations. and
OF the Republican majority I'm the
Senate which blocked ratification OF
the treaty.
Jehnssn's streaEth Grows.
With the issue thus defined, II is
believed that there is but one course
ieftr open to, the Republicans. That
course Is TO declare against the
treaty and. the League OF Nations and
TO promise that II placed In power
! they viii frame a better treaty and
formulate plan for the peaceful set
Element OF international Quarrels that
/. will contain none OF the features of
. the League OF Nations.
Hence the, effect Of the Presidents
message to tho Oregon Democrats,
calling upon the party TO stand by
the treaty. has been to strengthen the
position OF the, "Nreconcilable oppo-
nents" of the treaty In the Senate
and give increased assurance to all
those who fought the Presidents
league plan and the treaty as a
1t has given a great boost to the
candidacy OF Hiram johnson, who
I alone ,of all the contenders for the
Republican nomination has consist
ently opposed the treaty. Johnson's
growing strength was the basis Of
discussions among Senate and House
leaders In connection with the Presi-
dents message.
johnson Cemnents.
y Wood, Lowden, Harding, and even
Hoover have indorsed ratification
with reservations. But with the
Presidents definite call to his party
TO carry his League formula to the
people, experienced party leaders are
likely TO find 1t necessary to turn to
Johnson as the only one who can. con-
sistentlyi lead the Republican party
,9n the stand which it will be forced
70 take. namely outspolSen opposi-
dion to- the treaty and all it contains.
Senator Borah and others who have
been determined to force the Chicago
convention into a positive declara-
tion against the treaty took great
cheer to themselves today as the
Presidents message was discussed.
They see in it driving force which
will compel the party to abandon all
talk of reservations and nominate
Johnson-Borah's choice to head the
party ticket on the issue.
Both Senator Johnson and Senator
, Borah expressed themselves as
pleased at the definition of the issue
made, by the President. Senator
Johnson said that everybody in the
United States could now see the issue
plainly, except one man, Hoover
who, because it is purely an American