New-York tribune., 1920-02-12
Minority Leader Asserts
Reservation Is More
Obnoxious Than One
President Turned Down
Seeks Advice From
Wilson on olicy
Democrats Restive Under
His Leadership: Some
Advise Open Rebellion

From, The Tribune's H'ashinato,. Bureau
WASHINGTON, Feb. 11.-Prepa-
ratlons for a long battle to obtain an
agreement on a reservation to Arti-
Gle X of the league Of nations cove
nant, upon which ratification of the
peace treaty with Germany depends,
were made in the Senate to-day af-
ter Senator Hitchcock, leader Of the
Administration forces, rejected COM
promise overtures from the Republi-
cans.
The Republicans informally pro-
posed compromise reservation to
Article x that retained the principle
of the Lodge reservation. Senator
Hitchcock, however, declared that
the proposed substitute was unac-
ceptable, and Immediately opened a
fight to force the Republicans to
take an interpretative reservation on
Article X.
The lines were then drawn for
long battle. A group of the middle
ground" Republican Senators who
want ratification with strong reser-
vations insisted that no compromise
on Article X be made with the Demo-
Gratis, while Senator Hitchcock
sought advice from the White House
as to how far he should go in COM
promising with the Republicans.
mild" Senators Still Hopeful
The mild reservationists," who
drafted the proposed compromise res
ervation with the assistance of Demo.
cratic Senators, said tonight that they
were hopeful of bringing the two ex-
treme factions together on some such
proposal as that submitted to-day. Sem
ator Lodge personally is seeking the
support of all the Republican reserva-
tionists for the compromise reserva-
ton, while Democratic Senators who
helped draft it are asking the Demo-
Gratis individually to support it sub
stantially. regardless of Senator Hitch
cocks attitude
The proposed compromise reservation
was drawn by Senator Lenroot, of Wis
consln, acting for the mild" Sena-
tors, and was approved to-day at
conference of Senator'S Lodge. Lenroot
and McNary, Republicans, and Wolcott.
of Delaware, Democrat. The reserva-
tion reads as follows:
"The United States assumes no
obligation to preserve by the use of
its military or naval forces. or by the
economic boycott or by any other
means, the territorial integrity or
political independence of any other
country or to interfere in contro-
versies between nations-whather
members of the league or not-under
the provisions of Article <, or to
employ. the military or naval forces
of the United States under any ar
ticle of the treaty for any purpose,
unless in any particular case the
Congress. which, under the Constitu-
tion, has the sole power to declare
war, shall by act or joint resolution
so provide"
The Lodge reservation follows:
The United States assumes no
obligation to preserve the territorial
integrity or political independence Of
any other country or to interfere
In controversies between nations,
whether members of the league or
not, under the provisions of Article
X, or to employ the military or naval
forces of the United States under
any article of the treaty for any pur-
pose, unless in any particular case
the Congress, which, under the Con-
stitution, has the sole power to de-
clare war or authorize the employ
ment of the military or naval forces
of the United States, shall by act
or joint resolution so provide"
Hitchcock Calls 1t Surrender"
"The reservation is not compro-
mise but surrender" said Senator
Hitchcock. at is put in a much
more obnoxious form than the reserva-
tion considered by the bipartisan con-
ference, which the President said was
not acceptable. II is simply the Lodge
reservation under another wording"
Discussing reports published to-day
from the w mite House tnat PRESIDENT
Wilson was prepared to accept what
ever reservations on Article x tie
Democrats could secure, Senator Hitch
cock said:
81 did not understand from the Pres
ident's letter that the President sur
rendered to the extent that he would
accept any reservations on Article x.
l understand that the President for
the first time said that he would ac-
cept certain reservations"
Alternative Policy Uncertain
Asked what the Democrats would do
if they could net secure any further
modification Of the Article X reserva-
ton than was proposed to-day, Sena-
tor Hitchcock replied:
81 cannot anticipate that far in ad-
vance,"
'The reservation was drafted at
meeting of the mild reservationists'
and Senator Lodge has agreed to it,"
said Senator Lenroot. Il will receive
the support Of practically al the Re-
publicans except the irreconcilables.'
Mr.. LenrooE said he did not know the
extent of the Democratic support the
compromise reservation would receive,