The Chattanooga news. [volume] (Chattanooga, Tenn.) 1891-1939, 1920-03-06
TREATY FATE UP !
TO PRESIDENT
All Sides Anxiously Await Re-
SponSe to Simmons Plea
for Audience.
HITCHCOCK INC ENSEO
Because Existence of His Let
ter Became Known-Com-
promise Thrives.

the peace treaty continues to rest
with President Wilson.
His response to Senator Hitch
cocks letter requesting that ho gray,
an audience to Senator Simmons, :
North Carolina, as the emissarY
q coalition of republican mild z :
ervationists' and administration =
ators seeking ratification was =
iously awaited by all sides \ > ,e
treaty fight. \
Hitchcock and his dwindliFS res
were as much in the dark = 'the
presidents purpose as werSS e re-
publican senator's who pre- "a his
attitude toward Article N~3f the
league of nations covenant would re-
main unchanged.
Doubt was expressed by some sem
ators as to whether the president
would receive Simmons with the."ray
of hope" proposals for a compromise
on Article Y. Others expressed the
belief that none of the proposals
would prove acceptable to the presi-
dent If he did see Simmons. A re-
iteration OF the presidents famous
Jackson day message, in which he
urged the treaty be made a campaign
issue, was anticipated by many.
If Simmons succeeded in seeing the
president and found him opposed to
the latest move to modify the Lodge
reservation to Article Y, in COM
pliance with his wishes. it was pro-
posed that Simmons ask his assent
to the adoption by congress of a res
olution for the establishment of
peace by declaring the technical
state of war between the United
States and Germany at an end.
The move of the democrats to seek
the presidents counsel was regarded
in some quarters as so significant
that suggestions were heard about
the senate chamber that the proposed
conference in the end might include
republican as well as democratic
senator's.
Both Hitchcock and Joseph p.
Tumulty, the presidents secretary,
persisted in their refusal to make
Hitchcock's letter public. Hitchcock
was incensed because the existence
of the letter had become generally
known.
Senator Hitchcock's request went
to the White House after informal
Il
republican reservation to Article X,
the chief stumbling block ON the
road toward ratification, had been
conducted Jointly by Senator Sim
mons and Senator Watson, repub-
lican, OF Indiana, to point where
the movement began to assume Sc
rious proportions
Both Senator Hitchcock and Sena-
tor Lodge, the republican leader,
were reported to be at least tacitly
concurring in the effect. On the sur
face. however there was nothing to
indicate that either leader had rea-
son to change his belief that another
deadlock in the treaty fight is i'm
pending.
TOLD GLASS HIS VIEWS.
White House officials in discussing
today the move of administration
senator's to arrange conference with
President Wilson to discuss the
peace treaty situation, said the
president has told Senator Glass, of
Virginia, two weeks ago what his at
titude was toward a compromise on
Article X reservation.
In his talk with Senator Glass two
weeks ago the president is under
stood to have reiterated i'm general
terms his opposition to any reserva-
tion on Article y which would in
validate the obligations of the United
States under that article. Some of
his warmest supporters in the SEN
ate, however, believed until today
that the compromise proposal as now
framed might meet with his ap-
proval.
WHITE HOUSE EDICT.
Unless Senator Simmons, Of North
Carolina, as the emissary of a eoaIi-
tlon of senators seeking ratification
OF the peace treaty, is prepared to
submit to the president a definite
proposal for a material modification
of the Lodge reservation to Article
x, his prospective visit to the presi-
dent will be in vain, il was learned
today from White House sources.
1t was stated that the presidents
attitude toward the long disputed
reservation on which the senate is
still deadlockod. was Unchanged.
The president still insists that
sweeping change must be made in
the reservation II il is TO he made
part Of the resolution of ratification
or he will refuse 10 deposit the
treaty at Paris
Equally Adamant.
The republican leaders are equally
adamant in their refusal TO go fur
ther than To consent TO minor
changes in the phrasoology of the
reservation which will not alter the
principle involved In II.