New-York tribune., 1920-01-10
Leaders Admit Force of
Bryan's Argument, but
Face 1mpossibility of
Break With President
Worry Expressed
Over Irish Vote
Missouri, Oklahoma and
Colorado Likely to Go
Republican, They Fear
By Carter Field
Nea0 York Tribune
Wnshin 0f0m Rnrnnu


Washington Bureau
WASHINGTON, Jan. 9.-The Bryan
Wilson split over the use of the peace
treaty as an issue in the Presidential
campaign left the Democrats to-day
muddled, blue and discouraged. The
blueness may have been greater be-
cause most of them sat up for the
jackson Day speeches until o'clock
this morning, but apparently it was
based on the political outlook.
In a nutshell, the Democrats gen.
orally believe that Bryan is right in
holding the party could not afford to
delay ratification of the peace treaty
Tor fourteen months, ION a spectators
chance" as Mr.. Bryan said early this
morning, that the Democrats would win
a two thirds majority of the Senate so
they could ratify the treaty without
reservations. Most of the Democrats
also believe Bryan is right in his fiat
statement that the party cannot go to
the country defending a refusal to
adopt reservation to Article X.
Fear of President Controls
But while they believe Mr.. Bryan is
right on these two points, they do not
dare follow him. To do so would be a
reputation of the President, and there
are not a dozen prominent Democrats
out of the 400 who sat down at the
double barreled jackson Day dinner
who are willing to do that publicly.
1t was significant of the grip Presi-
dent Wilson still retains on his party
that, late yesterday afternoon, when
the advance copy of Bryan's speech
reached Democratic headquarters, with
the advance copy of the Presidents let
mediately brought on Mr.. Bryan to
modify his speech so as not to be so ap-
parently in conflict with the President,
not the slightest effort was made to
have the President change his letter.
Yet most of the Democrats admitted
privately that Bryan had taken the
more logical position on the peace
treaty. Ex-Attorney General Gregory
was one of those who pleaded with
Bryan to modify his remarks. But
Bryan was obdurate.
Majority Held Impossible
Every practical politician knows that
it is virtually impossible for the Dem
Ocrats, in the next election, to obtain a
twothirds majority of the Senate. Of
the thirty-tw0 vacancies in the Senate
which are to be filled at the election
this fall, seventeen now are held by
Democrats and fifteen by Republicans,
SO that if the Democrats should sweep
every state in the Union they still
would have only sixtytwo votes in the
Senate, two short of sufficient to ratify
a treaty if the Republicans voted SOL
Or1
Senator-McCur of North Dakota
is for the treaty without reserva-
tions, whereas there is a conside rable
group of Democratic Senators that is
not for the treaty unless there are res
ervations, while Senator Reed, one of
the possible sixty-two, is fat-footed
against the whole treaty.
One rather small group of Demo
Gratis is satisfied with the situation.
This group takes the position that for
various reasons the Democratic party
up until last night apparently did not
have a chance on earth to win the
election. Now, they assert, there will
be the appeal to the women voters on
the treaty, just as the appeal was
made four years ago on "he kept us
out of war"
Bryan's Speech a Wet Blanket
Mr.. Bryan himself is partly respon-
sible for the placid acceptance of the
outside of the Senate here to-day.
There had been much enthusiasm be-
fore he spoke over the record of the
achievements of the party and over
the abuse of the Republicans. The
Democratic diners were feeling rather
pleased with their party and their
party's chances as the speeches pro-
gressed until Bryan came and made
Belshazzar's feast of the dinner. He
recalled to the Democrats that the
mplishments they were boasting
about were written on the books in
the first Wilson Administration, and
voters they would have been swept
out of power in the Presidential cleo
ton of 1916. They also we're accom-
plished, of course, in 1918. he sug-
gested, and the party had made its
war record, yet the people had swept
the Republicans into control of the
House and Senate and rolled up a ma
jority of a million votes, taking the
entire country together, against the
administration.
There was sudden panicky realiza-
tion that Bryan was right on at least
one thing, and that was the Democratic
party needed an issue looking to the
future as we'll as the boasting Of ac-
complishments. But the Democrats
seem whelmingly against govern
ment ownership of railroads plank and
there seems to be majority against
most of his other new proposals.
So the net effect Of Mr.. Bryan's
speech was to make the Democrats the
more willing to accept the Presidents
ukase that the treaty should be the
issue in the campaign.
There was some little talk here to-
day. among those hoping to avoid it,
of the possibility of speedy refer
endum on the treaty, so the people
could vote on it without taking it into
the campaign. 1t was suggested, how
ever, that there is no Federal ma
chinery for such referendum; that it
could be had only by the individual
states holding it and that it would not
be. binding on the Senate if held. This
view was advanced some months ago
by Senator Knox, of Pennsylvania,
when referendum was first proposed,