New-York tribune., 1920-03-10
Modified Reservation on
Article X Puts Onus
of Rejection of Pact
on Democratic Senators
Voting Amendment
Passed, 81 to 20
Owen Breaks Away From
Wilson; Hitchcock Re-
jects Lodge Overture
From The Trtnune.s wnshtnato,. a.x.a..

ASO OVSA GuA Y
From The Trsbunc's Washington Burso.
WASHINGTON, March 9.-Sen-
ate Republicans moved to-day to
compel the Democratic Senators
either to break with President Will
son on the treaty issue or to accept
sole responsibility for its rejection.
The Senators submitted to the
Democrats a compromise reservation
to Article X that was worked out at
the conference of Republicans at
Senator Lodges home Sunday. The
Democrats were informed that the
Republicans intend to propose the
compromise on the floor of the SEN
ate as a substitute for the original
Lodge reservation, thereby Offering
the Administration Senators an on
portunity to vote for a modification
of the Lodge reservation.
The Senate reached the Article X
reservation late to-day when it
adopted the Lenroot reservation
on equality of voting power in the
league, as amended by the biparti-
san conference. The Lenroot reser
walton was adopted by vote of 81
to 20, with seventeen Democrats
voting with the Republicans for the
reservation. The Senate then ad-
]ourned, and discussion of the Arti
Gle X reservation will open to-mor-
row with each side fighting to place
upon the other responsibility for the
treaty's defeat.
Root Present at Conference
The decision of the Republicans to
continue their overtures for com
promise on Article X was made at
conference attended by Senator Lodge.
Ellhu Root and Senator Watson. of
lHdlana. senator Watson submitted the
draft OF the proposed compromise res
ervatlon to Senator Simmons, of North
Carolina, who laid it before his Demo
craIic colleagues. The text of the Re-
publican compromise offer follows:
HC CNItcQ ctaLoS assumes
obligations to employ it's military nv
naval forces, its resources or anv
form of economic discrimination to
preserve the territorial integrity or
political independence of any other
country, or to interfere in contro-
VERSES between nations, whether
members of the league or not, under
the provisions of Article X, or to en-
ploy the military or naval forces of
the United States, under any article
OF the treaty for any purpose, unless
ln any particular case the Congress,
in the exercise of full liberty of ac-
ton, shall by act or joint resolution
so provide"
Senator Simmons said the COM
promise would be acceptable to him
only If 1T were modified so the obliga-
ton under Article X would remain.
Hitchcock Opposes Compromise
Senator Hitchcock, Administration
leader, declared the Democrats would
not support the Republican reserva-
ton. If the treaty is ratified with the
compromise. he predicted, the Presi-
dent will not deposit ratification.
The Republican Senators behind the
compromise move claimed that twenty
seven Democrats were ready to vote for
the reservation, but Senator Hitchcock
said he felt sure that sufficient num-
ber of Democrats would vote against
it to defeat ratification on that basis.
While the Lenroot reservation re-
ceived seventeen Democratic votes to-
day, there was every indication that
the Administration forces have been
stiffened by the President and that
several Senators who were prepared TO
vote for ratification on the best terms
they could get are now back in the
Administration camp and willing to
follow Senator Hitchcock's leadership
to the end.
Even Senator Simmons, who has rep
resented the Democrats in the compro-
mise negotiations, shifted his position.
He agreed to support the Republican
compromise when it first was proposed
last week, but to-day insisted that it
was unacceptable to him unless further
modlflcatlons were made.
Owen Breaks From Wilson
Senator Owen, of Oklahoma, who ia
an active candidate for the Democratic
presidential nomination, was the only
Democrat who broke from the Presi-
dent to-day. In speech in the SEN
ate he declared:
II refuse to be party to the defeat
OF the treaty Or to the delay. | am
ready to support it in any form. to
follow any leader who leads to its rati-
fication, and | will not follow any lead
er who is leading to it's defeat or delay.
| prefer. Article X as it is, but / am
prepared, for the sake Of passing the
treaty and getting the advantages of
1t, to yield to the demand of majority
OF my colleagues in the Senate"
The Senate debated the Lenroot
reservation on equality of voting
power in the league of nations at
length, with the Administration forces
making every effort to modify it's Lam.
guage
During the discussion Senator Lodge
severely criticized President Wilson's
statements regarding France ia his
letter to Senator Hitchcock. The state
ments were an unfair and unfortunate
reflection" on France. Senator Lodge
declared.
Wants United States Protected
Discussing the Lenroot reservation.
Senator Lodge said that he did not
blame Great Britain for looking after
ker own interests in the league, and
said that the United States should do
l. Il