New-York tribune., 1920-02-14
28 Democrats
Sign Article X
Compromise
Hitchcock Offers Two Sub.
stitute Reservations to
Lodge; Revolt From Will.
son Suspected in Move
Taft Draft Is Suggested
Other Once Denounced by
President; Republicans
to Consider Proposition

From The Trbunea Washington Bnrenu
WASHINGTON, Feb. 13.-The Demo
Gratis in the Senate to-day formally
presented to the Republicans a writ
ten pledge, signed by twenty light
Senators. to vote for the bipartisan
conference reservation to Article K as
compromise to obtain ratification of
the treaty.
The reservation favored by the Dem
ocrats is the one President Wilson. in
his letter to Senator Hitchcock on
January 26. declared to be objection
able. The bipartisan conference broke
up when Senator Lodge refused to
agree to the reservation. Mr. Iodoo
Informed the Democrats TO-DAY thnt
ne would submit the reservation to the
other Republican Senators, but indi
Gated later that it is not acccptablc to
him a the basis of an agreement
The Democrats told the Republicans
that as an alternative they would vote
tor the Taft reservation, which also
was considered by the bipartisan CON
ference but which was not voted upon
curing the recent meetings at which
compromise was sought.
The Democratic move was mada h,,
Senator Hitchcock, whose statement Of
iast night that he was not disposed
TO make any effort toward "a compro-
mise on Article X caused Democratic
senators who have been working for
an agreement with the Republicans to
demand that something be done.
Inc move was staged with every ap-
Pearance OF being a revolt against the
expressed wishes of President Wilson.
~ was suggested by Republicans, how
ever, that Senator Hitchcock acted in
the belief that the proposed comnro- o..
mise reservations would not be ac-
cepted by the Republicans. The PLEDGE
presented to The Republicans reads as
follows: O""' 90
The undersigned Democratic SEN
alcrs. as a means of securing ratif.
cation of the treaty. will support as .
~rese $, ervatlon on Article X either of the
!olIoN'hg reservations, the first one be-
ing the reservation as framed in the
Dl partisan conferences recently held
ana the second one being the last nro-
posed reservation by former President
Taft. ''ue''t
Text of Two Reservations
Bipartisan conference reservation:
,Ihe United States assumes no
opHgatlon to employ its military or
haVal forces on the economic bow
cott to preserve the territorial in
tegrlty, or political independence of
any other country under the PROV
sions OF Article X, OF to employ the
military or naval forces of the
united States under any other article
of the treaty for any purpose, un-
less in any particular case the Con
gress which, under the Constitution.
has the sole power to declare war.
shall by act or joint resolution so
provide. Nothing herein shall be
deemed to impair the obligation of
Article XVI concerning the economic
boycott.
Mr.. Taft's suggested reservation:
"Thc United States declines to as
sumo any legal or binding obligation
to preserve the territorial integrity
or political Independence of any
OF Article X, Or 10 employ the mill
tary or naval Xorces of the United
States under any article OF the treaty
for any purpose; but the Congress,
which, under the Constitution, has
the sole power in the premises, will
consider and decide what moral obi
cation, If any, under the circum-
stances of any particular case, when
it arises, should .nu-e the United
States in the interest Of world peace
and justice to take action therein
and will provide accordingly.
whichever Of the above reservations