Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1920-02-24
See Democratic
Detection in
Peace Pact Fight

Washington, rcU. .3-tBy The AS
sociated Press Of e
substantial break i'll the Democratic
peace treaty runks in the Senate i'm
PEELED influential Democratic senators
To move today for u caucus 10 dis
cuss Il possible change IN party policy
and revive the hopes of the Rcpubli-
cans that the treaty might yet tic rat
ifieu with the Republican reservations
adopted at the last session Of Con
gross.
On the Republican side il WIS as
serted that ;. Democrats, only i doz-
on short Of I'll. number feCuii ed 10
insGre ratification. hud signfled
Willingness to quit the lead OF Preai.
dent Wilson and take the Republican
reservation program IS it is. This
total the administration chiefs de-
clared exaggerated. bug they con-
ceded that were a vote taken toner
row on the Republican, reservation
Of ratification it would command
more than the seven Democratic
votes 1t got last November.
The movement for Il Democratic
caucus MY bring into the open, its
sponsors believe. the dissatisfaction
that has sinuuldcsed in some Demo-
cratic quarters since II. President
sent his memorable letter to the eau
cIse Of November - asi.ipg that the
senator's uf his. party vote against
ratification on ;he basis of the Re-
pub!lcans WHO disrcgarded his advice
have leen active constantly IL i!.eir
effort TO Qissuadc others from the
StHnu then t:I1Iao IL 1nS
open secret that their move. coupled
with current political developments
has met with some success
In belief that time is fighting on
their size the plan Of the Republic
cans Is to first clear away TO the
ISSUES Of the treaty disagreement
when the subject comes again before
the Senate. probably tomorrow. The
next reservation to be considered in
the revision being undertaken on .hc
Senate floor is the troublesome
qualification of Article Ten, against
which the President has declared his
principal criticism: but the Rcpub-
licans expect to ask that it be laid
aside Until all the others have been
acted on.
.'fNth''Ati' ~ Is DolhttU Ouy,
Democratic caucus may have deval-
oped the real strength Of the move
mcnt among Democratic senators 10
break away from past history of the
resistance and put the treaty
through. Should n majority - the
II Democrats vote in fne caucus TO
make such move. ii is expected by
the ltepublicanS that the effect would
ne to bring over the votes needed for
ratification.
In these calculations, however
neither side loses sight of the possi-
bility that the White House may
again exert its influence to stiffcn .hc
backs of the administration senator's
Or That the President may if an TN
acceptable publications. hold the
treaty from Senate consideration
The administrations stauncu SUD-
pnrters in the Senate indicated 10
night that if any considerable num-
Der OF Democrats wanted IL caucus,
one would be called. But they
Haunted the suggestion tina. it might
throw over the Presidents advice
and show majority against the past
and present party stand on rcscrva-
tons.
Among the Republicans it was sail!
'hat the caucus proposal apparently
had grown out of Il stiffening in the
R"rubiiran ranks which In turn result
"a from the action Of the Senate Satur-
day when the irreconciiab,e opponents
of ratification seized the balarce of pow
"r ANA used it 70 prevent any moiifiea-
tim =! the Republican reservations.
Mild reservationists who heretofore
nay" predicted that the article ten Pro-
VISION could he modified if necessary,
said today that the only chance of rat
iltcation now seemed to rest in the pos
hibility that enough Democrats would
accept the provision unchanged
Who initiated the movement for a
Democratic get-together was not appar-
ent, but the move was understood t,
have the endorsement of Senator In
derwood Of .Nabana. a candidate for
the Democratic leadership. and of other
influential senators who have been ure-
ing that every effort be made to bring
about ratification.