Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1920-01-30
WOLCOTT HOPEFUL
Of An AGREEMENT
ON PEACE TREATY
Willing to Accept Reservations
That Will Not Amount to
Tcxtual Amendments.
BALL WILL FOLLOW LODGE


snaraal Dispatch From Every Evcnins
Washington Correspondent.
Washington, Jan 30.--Senator Woicott
said today that he favored reasonable
reservations in rstifying the Peace Treaty
with the League OF Nations Covenant
The Senator. however made il clear he
would rather have the Treaty confirmed
by the Senate AS it was originally present
ed bv the President, but he frankly ac-
knowledged that the present Senate
could not be induced to take such action
and he was unwilling to delay ratification
longer than is absolutely necessary.
Bv reasonable reservations" Senator
Woicott is understood to mean such reser-
vations as will not have the effect of
,extual amendments. IL the Republicans
will adopt this view, the Senator from
Delaware believes the Treaty can swiftly
be disposed of.
CONDITIONS HAVE CHANGED.
"Mv position on the Treaty has not
changed, but conditions have, and ] can
see that it will be impossible TO ratify the
Covenant without some reservations,
said Senator Wolcott. "H the reservations
are reasonable, shall accept them because
believe speedy action IS necessary. We
must settle this matter as soon as possible
and IN a way best calculated to meet the
wishes of the American people. Above
all. as | understood public continent,
quick action is demanded.
Senator Wolcott never had n better
opportunity to perform great national
service than when placed on the BIZ
partisan committee which Is trying to
lay the foundation for compromise ac-
ceptable tothe American people. Senator
Hitchcock said he asked the Delaware
Senator to act because he believed the
champions of the League Of Nations would
obtain from him most powerful aid. This
places the Delaware Senator in position
of und;sputed leadership.
FEELING OF OPTIMISM.
In Senatorial circles there is a distinct
feeling of optimism regarding the ultimate
outcome OF the negotiations for 8 compro-
mise on the League Of Nations issue. IL
is felt that the bipartisan committee has
been selected with the greatest Of care and
with due regard For theconihcting opinions
prevailing in Senatorial groups so that
whatever compromise it recommends is
more than likely to be the ultimate judg
ment of the Senate.
Senator Lodge. in allowing the Demo
Gratis to select FIVE men while the Re
pubhcsns were satisfied with four, showed
that he WAS inclined at least to be fair.
Ii is said that if the verdict of his own
group on the bipartisan committee IS
against him. Senator Lodge will scquiesce.
This could not be confirmed. but it is
generally believed the Senator from
Massachusetts, Is Ir compromising mood
BALL WILL FOLLOW LODGE.
It can be said with assurance that
Senator Ball Will follow Senator Lodge
Just as faithfully in any set of compromise
As he did when the chairman of the foragn
relations committee stoutlv declared him
sell TO be antagonistic TO the ratification of
the Treaty on any other conditions save
those laid down by himself. The junior
Senator from Delaware has an unwaversng
confidence in the judgment of the leader
and it is unlikely such confidence viii be
shaken by any shifting of ground by the
New England Senator.