Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1920-02-08
WILSON s LETTER
PUTS DEMOCRAT
SENATORS INTO
CONF USED STATE
Views From White House
Regarding Reservations
VariouSIy Interpreted By
Party Leaders at Capitol
WILL ATTEMPT TO
SECURE COMPROMISE
Chief Executive Is Feaffu!
That Article X as Changed
Might Produce Bad Effect
In Other Countries,


Washington, Feb. "A letter
from President Wilson renewing
his objection to some features OF
the peace treaty reservations, franz
cd by the senate republican ma
iority, furnished the basis OF earn
est discussion today in confer
ence of democratic senator's called
10 consider what course the treaty
rtends should pursue when II
tgain comes before the senate next
week.
The only decision reached was
Il, cooperate in the parliamentary
cction necessary TO reopen ratlfl-
cation and to work for an accept
able compromise on reservations.
Just what compromise should be
considered acceptable was debated
in the light of varying interpreta-
tons of the presidents letter, but
there was no attempt to frame
rogram.
Striking at the republican reser-
walton on Article X and postponed
substitutes, Mr.. Wilson wrote that
any reservation which said that
the United States assumes no OBJ
legation under such and such an
article unless or except" would be
likely TO "chill" the relationship
between this country and Other
mowers. A substitute Article X
reservation containing this Ian
guage. under consideration by the
recently disbanded bipartisan COM
romise committee, the president
wrote was very unfortunate" in
form though he agreed with its
substance.
Widely Differing Views.
The letter was written on Janu-
ary 26, while bipartisan nesotia-
tions were in progress and before
notification of the letter of Niscount
Grey, former British ambassador
10 the United States, on the ac-
ceptability of the republican reser-
Nations. 1t was addressed to SEN
alor Hitchcock, democratic leader,
who laid it before the conference
today.
Wide disagreement was revealed
in the conference and in private
discussion among senators regard
ing the probable effect of the COM
munication on the treaty's chances
Of ratification. Some interpreted
the. letter as reiteration of the
residents views previously ex-
pressed while others professed to
see in it a tendency toward COM
promise. comparing it with former
rtterances, these senator's pointed
out that it contained no statement
that he considered the language
quoted as multiplying the treaty or
constituting a rejection.
No Chance, Says Hitchcock.
Senator Hitchcock declared no
change in the democratic attitude
was indicated The democratic
forces remained determined, he
said, not to accept the republican
Article X reservation unless modi-
fled.
In some quarters significance
was seen in the fact that the letter
of the president was written four
DAYS before the bipartisan nego-
tiations collapsed, following re-
fusal of the republicans to con-
sider modification of the reserva-
tons on Article X and the Monroe
Doctrine.
Besides Article X the president
touched on the reservations re-
specting withdrawal and manda-
tories, saying he had no objection
to qualifications on these subjects.
The letter was made public by
Mr.. Hitchcock in the following
statement:
1.-THE presidents letter dated
January 26 was called forth by a
letter which | wrote him on the
evening of the day in which the