New-York tribune., 1920-03-13
Simmons Withdraws His
Pledge of 81 Votes for
Reservation; Treaty's
Fate Seems Up to Wilson
Little Hope Now
For Ratification
At Least 80 Must Join Re.
volt Against President
to Give Needed 64Votes

From The Tribune's Washington Bs-sos
WASHINGTON, March IA
final offer Of compromise on a res.
ervation to Article x Of the peace
treaty with Germany was made in
the Senate to-day by Senator Lodge
on behalf Of the Republican friends
of the pact.
1t was Immediately opposed By
Democratic Senators who previously
had supported the proposed reserva.
ton during the negotiations that re.
suited in its presentation to-day. As
a result the Senate tonight again Is
in a muddle as regards the treaty,
and leaders Of all factions in tho
treaty fight declared that ratification
now depends upon acceptance Of tho
compromise by President Wilson or
a general revolt against the Presi.
dent that would lead at least thirty
Democrats to vote for ratification
with the Lodge reservation.
The reservation was introduced by
Senator Lodge soon after the Senate
met 1t is the reservation on which
compromise was sought by Senator
Watson, for the Republicans, and
Senator Simmons, for the Demo.
Gratis, early in the week, although
the wording has been slightly
changed.
SimmonsPledge Withdrawn
Charges that Senator Lodge had
surrendered were made by the "irrec.
onciiables" and by Senator Freling.
huysen, Of New Jersey, Immediately
after the compromise reservation
was read, and then Senator Sim.
mons, who previously had informed
the Republicans that he could oh.
tain thirty-two Democratic votes for
it, nullified the compromise effort bv
saying that he could not obtain the
Democratic votes, and that the Re.
publicans would have to take their
chances" on getting enough Demo.
cratic votes for it to insure ratifica.
tion.
Senators Hitchcock and Underwood
declared the treaty would be defeated
with the proposed compromise, and
Senator Mcclellan, or Tennessee. one
OF the Bryan followers in the Senate.
led a group of anti-Hitchcock Demo-
Gratis in opposition to the new reser-
vation.
The reservation has been sent to
President Wilson for his opinion. but
no democratic Senator tonight would
admit that he expects the President to
send any further statement of his no.
sltlon to the Senate.
Senator Swanson, of Virginia. one
OF the strong Administration followers.
went to the White House and is under
stood to have left copy of the reser-
vatlon there. He declined to discuss
ms visit, but said that he did not talk
with the President Senator Swanson
SAID he believed the chances of the
and OF the treaty being ratified are
very remote"
Final Effort at Compromise
That to-day's move will be the Anal
effort Of the Republicans toward a
Lodge and by the mild reservation
lists" who initiated the reservation.
Senator Lodge explained that he Of
tered the substitute because he had
promised the mild reservationists"
and others who want to get the treaty.
ratitied that he would not stand out
against changes being made in the
wording OF the Lodge reservation. The
promise now has been carried out by
the compromise reservation.
he said. The mild reservationists"
will not press for a further compro-
mise, they declared, and if the substi-
tute reservation offered TODAY fails
they said they will go back to the
Lodge reservation and vote for ratifica-
tion on that basis.
The mild reservationists" declared
tney have enough votes to force the
adoption of the compromise in place
Of the Lodge reservation. but are de-
laying vote because they have not
been able to obtain the sixty-four votes
required for ratification on that basis.
Ihey claimed thirty Republican votes
tonight and the votes Of twenty Dem
ocrats who are prepared to vote for
ratihcation on any basis, making a ma
Jority OF the Senate for the new reser-
walton.
No Vote Before Monday
A voto on the Article x reservations
is not expected to be had until Monday
at the earliest. In the meantime Will
lam J. Bryan, who Is urging ratifca-
tion Of the treaty on the best possible
terms so that it will not become the
dominant issue in the Presidential
campaign, is expected to come to Wash
ington and use his influence in the
Senate to line up moro Democrats for
ratification with reservations.
The Senate will not reach the final
vote on ratification until the end Of
next week. After the Article K reser-
vation has been disposed Of, the Owen
reservation on Egypt will come up, and
other reservations not included in the
Lodge program are expected to be
offered.
The Republican leaders have bsan
unable to arrange pairs for the absen1
senators. and the vote will be DELAYED
until things are arranged % that svery