Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1920-05-10
WILSON DEMANDS
ENDORSEMENT OF
THE PEACE TREATY
Tells Oregon Democrats Imrnedi-
ate Declaration for the Pact
is Imperative.
COMES OUT WITH LEAGUE
AS ELECTION ISSUE

Washington, May l0.-President W IL
avn considers IT imperative that the
Democratic party in the 1920 campaign
should constitute itself the unfiinching
and uncompromising champion of the
Treaty of Versailles. i'll opposition 10
the Lodge or any other plan of reserva-
tions by way of modification or soften
ing of the terms of that document
The President takes the position that
the honor of the nation Is ut stake IN
the treaty issue. and insists that the
party OF which he Is the actual and
tittular leader for the tune being should
enter the lists against the Republicans
as the champion of that honor.
There was no real doubt IN inner
Democratic circles here that the Presl-
dent was standing absolutely pat ON the
treaty issue In opposition to the pro
gram which Senator Lodge had advo-
Gated as he had stood against that OF
the irreconcilabes headed by Senator's
Knox, Borah and Johnson But the
frlnness of the attitude which the Preei-
lent has taken was emphasized ami re-
,tcrated by the President himself Ia a
politieal committee IN Oregon which
sought advice rs to whether the PreSi-
dent considered il Imperative to nominate
candidates pledged to ratlfy the treaty
without the Lodge reservations.
ASSERTS STAND Is IMPERATIVE.
This telegram came from G. l.. Ha-
maker, Chairman of the Muitnomah
County Democratic Central Committee,
at Portland, Ore, on Thursday. The
Presidents reply, sent and made public
last night. was that the President consld-
cred II imperative not only that the
Democratic Pzrty should indorse and
support the treaty and condemn the
Lodge reservations but that the party
IN power in the executive branch should
take the position that the Lodge reSer-
cations were inconsistent with the ma
ton : honor and destructive Of the world
leadership which it hsd established, and
which All the free peoples Of the world,
including the great powers themselves,
had shown themselves ready 70 welcome
President Wilson's rciteration Of his
uncomprornising attitude toward the Re
publican opposition to ratification Of the
treaty. without amendment or modlhca-
ton is made at time when Republican
leaders IN " Washington are holding various
informal conferences with a view 10 de-
terrnining the attitude OF the party toward
the treaty, and when there is every lndi
cation that the Republican convention
will take a stand that will make the treaty
the outstanding issue Of the campaign.
President Wilson Is anxious. as his tee
gram shows, that the treaty hc made the
paramount issue Of the campaign, and he
considers the championship OF tho treaty
bv the Democratic party so imperative
that he is willing TO have the fortunes Of
the party stand or fall by the verdict of
the people at the polls in November.
EQUALLY OPPOSED 10 KSoN RESOLUTION
The President not only insists that the
Il. al a. y
out the Lodge reservations, but IS Just ~
Inalterably opposed TO the so-called Knox
peace resolution. which seeks 10 have the
President open negotiations with Ger
MANY and Austria for a separate peace
and would terminate, by a paper resolu
ton. the state OF the war with the former
Central Powers That the President was
prepared TO veto the Knox resolution,
should it be sent to him. was indicated last
Sunday night when Homer ;. Cummings.
chairman of the Democratic National
Committee, issued a statement on the
attitude of the party in power toward the
latest maneuvers of those Senate Repubil
cans behind the Knox resolution.
Mr. Cummings declaration in his an
nouncement OF last Sunday that the ma
tions honor was involved In the Knox
resolution was known to be representative
OF the position OF the President. who leaves
no doubt in his telegram of last night that
he thinks the honor OF the nited States
would be sacrificed if the Versailles
Treaty were ratified with the Lodge res
erVatlons.
LODGE WELCOMES THE CHALLENGE.
In the opinion of leaders Of both par
ties the President has forced the Repub
licans TO make as their chief issue oppo-
sition TO the treaty. Democratic leaders
who could be reached last night accepted
the Presidents telegram As defining the
attitute of the party on the treaty, while
Republicans, notably Senator Lodge
expressed pleasure that the President had
taken the stand he did.
Senator Hitchcock, ranking minority
member OF the Committee OF Foreign
Affairs and former Democratic leader
of the Senate, discussing the President s
telegram said;
The Presidents s recommendation will
meet with the approval OF Democrats
generally, and | think that the National
Convention at San Francisco will adopt
that line of procedure. 1t will force the
Republicans to accept the issue and op-
pose the President position"
Senator Lodge, Republican leader of
the Senate, who viii make the keynote
speech at the Republican National Con-
Fention, said:
The President statement has Just
been read to me over the telephone ]
cannot undertake to discuss it in de
tail. but politically speaking ! am very
glad that he had taken the position he
has. II fully justifes all the opposition
OF the Republican party and of those
who joined with Republicans in the
Senate"