Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1920-03-23
PRESIDENT WILSON
GIVEN DEAD TREATY.;
WAR STATUS SAME
Peace Resolution Not to Be
Acted on Before Latter
Part of Week-Fourth De-
feat for Pact

WASHINGTON. March 20.-After
a troubled eight months sojourn
in the senate, the treaty with Ger
many was back in the keeping of
President Wilson tonight with
note appended saying that ratifica-
ton had been refused.
What the presidents next move
would be remained conjecture,
White House officials declined to
comment. The general feeling Of Of
ficials elsewhere about the capital,
however, was that Mr.. Wilson prob
ably would let the treaty lie on his
desk while the bitter controversy
it has raised is fought out in the
political campaign.
The treaty was taken back to
the White House early i'll the day
by bevy of officials and messen-
gers from the senate in pursuance
of an order adopted last night af-
ter a fourth. vote on ratification
had failed to muster the necessary
two-thirds.' 1t was delivered to Sec
rotary Tumulty, who receipted for it
in the name of the president.
Scarcely had the bulky document,
the bone of senate contention
through many weeks of stormy de-
bate and negotiation, passed physi-
cally out of the Capitol building
when some of the senators who
worked for ratifcat ton began a
movement to recall it and try once
more for a compromise. Mild res
ervation Republicans and compro-
mise Democrats discussed the posi-
bilities of such an effort, without
decision, however, and the predic-
ton of leaders on both sides was
that no proposal for another re-
consideration ever would take Sc
rious form.
The unsettled state of senate
opinion, nevertheless, had the ef-l
feet of slowing up the plans of
the Republican leaders for passage
of a declaration Of peace and it was
decided after many conferences that
the resolution for. that purpose
probably would not be urged before
late next week. Previously the pur-
pose had been to bring it up Mon
day and press it for early action.
Afraid Of House
In making this decision the majorl-
ty managers in the senate are under
stood to have been Influenced in part
by undetermined factors in the house,
which also would have to act on a
peace resolution and whose leaders
baked at a similar proposal last De-
cember.
Most Of the ranking members of
the house foreign affairs committee,
in whose hands the peace resolution
would fall, were out of town and had
not informed their associates of their
attitude.
During the day the senate was not
L,,&
peace declaration was raised in the
house by Representative Tinkham,
Republican, Massachusetts,, who in
PRODUCED a declaratory resolution and
had it referred without debate to the
foreign affairs committee. In it's
general provisions it follows the
resolution of Senator Knox, Republi-
can, Pennsylvania, which is backed
by the Republican senate leaders.
Both provide for repeal of the dec
laration of war. for certain settle
nents with Germany, and for a dec
laration Of international policy.
Until some affirmative action is
taken by congress or the president
to end the war status legally, the
technical position of the country re-
mains. officials say, just what it was
the day after the armistice was
signed. War legislation thus in force
and under the war department inter-
pretation OF the situation the presi-
dent retains his war powers as COM
nlander-in-chief to keep American
troops at Wha posts in Germany
he thinks necessary to enforce the
arristice terms.
The president has expressed en-
phatic disapproyal OF securing Z
technical peace status by any method
except ratification OF the treaty.
Senators generally do not believe
he had altered that position, and the
Republican senate leaders confident
~ expect that If they pass q peace
resolution he will veto it. They hope,
however, to secure enough Democrat
ic support to repass it III both houses
by the necessary two-thirds ma
jority.
Give: to Tumulty
Senate officials who have had
physical custody Of the treaty since
July 10, when President Wilson him
self carried it into the senate cham
Der lost no time today in obeying
the mandate to return~1t to the white
House. Accompanied by several mes
sengers, George A. Sanderson, secTe.
tary of the senate. took it to the
executive offices DrlgnL ana carry
this morning and had to wait nearly
an hour before Mr.. Tumulty appear
ed to receipt for it,
The big volume, wrapped in brown
paper end bound up with red tape.
at first was taken into the office
Of Rudolph Forster, executive clerk
of the White House, but Mr.. Sander
son -sciined to leave it until he had
a receipt signed by the secretary to
the president. When Mr.. Tumulty
arrived he went for a talk with the
president Almost an hour elapsed
before he returned to find the treaty
o. his desk and Mr.. Sanderson and
his assistants waiting.
After the receipt had been signed,
one of the messengers took up the
treaty to hand it to Secretary Tu-
1nulty, but the latter demurred. Let
IT lie there" said Mr. Tumulty, and
the delegation from the senate de-
parted.
Except for the few hours it was at
the government printing office for
making the first printed copies, the
official text of the treaty brought
from Versailles in the personal pos
session of the president has reposed
in a safe in Secretary Sanderson's
? Office since it was given to the senate.
CONTINUED on Page 6, Column 81