Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1920-05-11
PRESIDENT WILSON
CHALLENGES FOES
Of PEACE LEAGUE
Makes Definite Answer to
Democrats of New York
and Rhode Island, Says
David Lawrence
By DAVID LAWRENCE

Copyright, 1920, for The Atlanta Journal.)
WASHINGTON, May 10.-Presi-
dent Wilson has definitely answered
the Democrats of New York and
Rhode Island who failed to go on
record in their respective conven tions
In favor of the treaty of Versailles
and the covenant of the League Of
Nations.
The president, moreover. has an
ticipated the Democratic national
convention by asking the Oregon
Democrats TO blaze the way by a
declaration in their platform and by
their votes in the approaching pri-
mary. Mr.. Wilson risks something by
putting the issue to a test in adj
vance of the convention, but Oregon
has shown itself heretofore so
strongly in favor of the presidents
position en- the peace treaty that
after all Mr.. Wilson would. appear TO
be rather certain of Endorsement.
But it will be noted that the pres
Ident asked the Democrats not mere
ly to support his own position on
the treaty, but ''to y condemn the
Lodge reservations" UnquestionabIy
the Republican convention at Chica-
go will endeavor to do the very op-
posite, namely. ''to commend the
Lodge reservations
One Weakness Seen
Mr.. Wilson considers that Mr..
Knox spoke the truth the other day
when he frankly admitted that reser-
vations do not Americanize.' The
pennsylvania senator made it easier
for Mr.. Wilson to make a clear-cut
Issue. But there is one weakness In
Mr.. Wilson's coure which did nos
escape comment here today.
While the president rejects the
Lodge reservations, he does not in
d1cate that program like the Hitch
cock reservations would be accepted.
He leaves the inference that he still
wants the treaty and covenant to be
Endorsed without the crossing of a
or the dotting of an a.
Notwithstanding the advice and
suggestion of many of his friends,
the president has, throughout the
treaty fight, permitted that impress
sion to go out to the country, Even
when he Endorsed the Hitchcock res
ervations in the last moments of the
DEBATE last March he did not en-
phasize the point any too strongly.
The Presidents Reason
The president had a reason that
seemed sound to him. He feared that
If he allowed himself to be drawn
into quarrel about reservations, the
issue would be befogged by bubbles
over phraseology. He considered that
Article K was the heart of the whole
business and that the Lodge reserva-
ton nullified that article.
Nevertheless it is a matter of
doubt whether the president will ask
the Democratic national convention
at San Francisco to stand for an I'M
qualified covenant. Pressure will be
brought to bear upon him to consent
to a. plank in the platform which will
indorse the program tentatively
agreed upon in the bipartisan con-
ferences which were broken up when
Senator Johnson and Senator Borah
threatened to bolt the party If Sena-
tor Lodge compromised on Article x.
With the Hiram Johnson movement
growing stronger every day the Re-
pub1icans have been in a quandary
about treaty plank in their platform.
They cannot consistently indorse the
California senator's position and at
the same time approve of the Lodge
reservations. In sense, Mr.. Will
son makes it q bit easier for the Re-
publicans by his pronouncement
against the Lodge reservations. Had
he waited until the Republican con-
vention was over, he might have
found the Republicans indorsing' the
Johnson viewpoint and retreating
from the leadership Of Senator Lodge
In order to face the president in the
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