New-York tribune., 1920-03-06
Seek Farley at Which
Final Stand on Pact
With the Reservations
Adopted WILDE Decided
Article X Still
Crux of Dispute
Declaration Against In
reference With u. S.
Export Trade Wins

From, The Tribume's Washington Burenu
WASHINGTON, March 5.-Pres-
ident Wilson has been formally
asked by the Democratic Senator'S to
decide whether the peace treaty
with Germany shall be ratified with
the reservations that are now being
adopted by the Senate or whether the
Administration followers shall again
defeat ratification.
Senator Hitchcock, acting leader
Of the Administration forces, sent
letter to the President urging him
to confer with Senator Simmons, of
North Carolina, for the purpose of
arranging formal conference with
several leading Administration SEN
ators.
Senator Hitchcock wrote the let
ter day before yesterday, it was
learned to-day, and sent it to the
White House by special messenger.
1t was written after the Democratic
Senators had Informally decided
among themselves to put the whole
treaty situation up to the President
and let the decision as to their
course rest with him.
The President will decide tomorrow
whether he will grant the conference
asked by the Democratic Senators. it
was announced at the White House to-
day.
Treaty's Fate Hangs on Decision
If the President declines to see the
Senator's, or if he tells them that he
cannot accept the compromise proposal
TOR reservation on Article X which
Senator Glass, of Virginia, took to the
White House yesterday, sufficient
number of Administration Senator's
Will vote against ratification to defeat
the treaty a second time.
Inc request for the conference with
the President was made with the under
standing among the Democratic SEN
ators behind the move that it should be
kept secret. When it became known
to-day that the President had been
asked to decide the course of the Dem
ocrats Senator Hitchcock and other Ad-
UlSCfeSSe0
that the matter had become public. but
they admitted the letter had been sent.
Senator Hitchcock said that the Dem
ocratic Senator'S hope to discuss the
whole treaty situation with the Presi
dent. He said he had no reason to be-
lieve the Presidents attitude has
changed at all, and that he doubted
whether the President would accept the
modification of Article x reservation
70
Compromise on Article X
The votes on the reservations adopted
by the Senate this week have demon
strated that unless the President sig
nifes his willingness to accept rati-
tcation with the reservations. a suf-
flclent number of Democrats will stand
by Senator Hitchcock and vote to de-
feat the treaty.
The modification Of the Lodge reser-
vation on Article X was submitted to
the President with the tacit consent Of
Senator Lodge. The modified form
would specify the obligations which the
United States declines to assume under
Article X. The proposed compromise
states that the United States assumes
no obligation to preserve the territorial
integrity or political independence of
any other nation "by the use of its
military or naval forces, the economic
boycott, OlpiOmatfc means or It's ulial-
clal Or national resources"
Friends of ratification in the Senate
to-day said they believed the chances
for ratification were improved in view
of the compromise proposal. They
said the change in verbiage did not de-
stroy the principle OF the Lodge reser-
vation, and that it gave the President
an opportunity to accept the reserya-
tion.
Another Reservation Adopted
The Senate to-day adopted the origi-
nal Lodge reservation on the repara-
tions commission by vote of 41 to %
Six Democrats voted for it. They were
Senators Chamberlain, Gore, Reed,
Shields, Nugent and Smith, of Georgia.
The text of the reservation follows:
"The United States understands
that the reparations commission will
regulate or interfere with exports
from the United States TO Germany
States only when the United States
by act or joint resolution of Con-
gress approves such regulation or
interference"
The Senate previously had defeated
substitute offered by Senator Hitch
cock by vote of 81 to %. Senators
Gore, Reed, Shields and Smith, of
Georgia, voted against it. The pro-
posed substitute follows:
''The United States understands
that the reparations commission will
in it's control over German economic
resources in no respect so exert it's
powers as to discriminate against the
commerce of the United States"
Senator Hitchcock urged the impor-
tance of the United States being repre-
sented on the reparations commission,
while arguing that there was no danger
that the commission would attempt to
interfere with the proper freedom Of
commerce between Germany and tho
United States.
Early Action Urged
Senator Townsend, Of Michigan, re-
piled, stressing the Importance Of
adopting the reservation. and saying
that even the argument of Senator
Hitchcock involved the assumption that
the rsparations commission might adopt
measures that would injure the com.