New-York tribune., 1920-03-21
President Said To Be Con.
sidering Negotiation of
Modus Vivendi With
German Government
Will Ignore Senate,
WashingtonB elieves
Another Suggestion Is
That Treaty May Be Of
fered With Reservations
From The Tribune's Washinoton Bureou

From The Tribune's Washington Bureau
WASHINGTON, March 20-Pros-
poets for new and bitter controversy
between the White House and the SEN
ate over their treaty-making preroga-
tives loomed up tonight, when it be-
came noised abroad that the President
has under consideration the negotiation
OF modus vivendi arrangements with
Germany and the Allies, pending a final
determination of the position which tn
United States is to occupy in relation
to the league of nations.
That the President has such q sno-
gestlon before him there seems to he
no question, although the White House.
pending an official announcement hv
him as to the course he intends to nnr,
sue, refused to-day to discuss the treaty
situation in any particular
meanwhile, the peace treaty appeared
to pc dead, at least temporarily. Re-
publican and Democratic leaders agreed
Ihat the next move was up to the
r,res1dent' ~ and Senator Lodge declared
that even if the treaty were returned
to the Senate by the President it wonld
lie IN the Foreign Relations Committes
until after the Presidential campaign.
Although Senator Knox's resolution
declaring state of peace with Ger
many was introduced In the House hv
Representative Tinkham, of Massachn.
;setts, Senator Knox said he would not
oring the resolution before the Senate
until President Wilson had time to
make some move regarding the treaty.
Senate Approval Unnecessary
The significance of the modus vivendi
suggestion lies in the fact that. accord :
ing TO precedent, such arrangements
you'd not have to be submitted to the
senate for its approval.
John Bassett Moore. former counsel
Tor of the Department of State. in his
digest OF international Law" saws:
"On various occasions the Execnt;v
mas entered into an agreement which.
because OF its provisional character
mas peen called modus vivendi Such
agreements are usually made pending
negotiations with view to nern,a ;,
nent settlement of controversies. They
take the shape of an exchange Of notes
or OF formal protocol and ordinarily
are not submitted to the Senate for
approval" AoA
The suggestion, it is understood ha.
been offered to the President S, a. one "af af
the several courses he can uursna IN
view OF the treaty's rejection by the
Senate. Whether he will adopt it nc no
one in official position in Washington
p'retends to know. 1t is pointed out
that such arrangements, separately
made with Germany and the Allies
would serve to restore technical con,
dltion of peace between this country
ana Germany, while, at the same time,
II would leave the way open for the
United States eventually to enter the
league Of nations and protect provi
slonally the rights of the United States
IN the reparation adjustments and
other features covered by the Treaty
of Versailles.
Suggestions Before President
The other suggestions before the
President are:
To negotiate separate peace with
Germany.
To resubmit the Versailles treatv
to the Senate with certain reserya-
tipns included.
To wait until after the November