Evening star., 1920-05-28
PRESIDENT ]O[TED
REPUBLICAN PLANS
BY YHOLD|NC TREATY
BY DAVID LAWRENCE.

hi DA III La w II 6.StB
President Wilson has not merely his
political opponents, but his friends
guessing as to his next move II me
treaty situation, but unless the Presi-
dent changes his mind abruptly ms
present maneuver is to keep tne
treaty of Versailles in .re NNt'f
House either until the two political
conventions have NJ Z
themselves and new CSpoS4s.p4 iS
manifested toward th- q ,cEnient. or
until the American peop. have SnoWH
BY their votes that they s.Atatr "f re-
pudiate the present Insi,iacrs!iiD of
tho Senate.
The republicans were eager for th@
President Ia act on -h- Knox Paace
resolution. TIL. democrats Il 4 M I'LL
buster or engage il prolonged debate.
hut hastencd he resolution - inc
White House. Thr republicans exp. ct
cd the veto. but also expected the
treaty 10 come back 20 he senate
with a statement II the reservations
he would accept. Then. having select
ed Senator Henry Cabot Lodge I"
make the keynote speech AT me -
publican national Convention. he eN-
pectation WAS shat th- Massachusetts,
senator would discuss the pnraScoioey
of reservations and that II ISL"
would again appear to be only one ot
language. ~ any rdte. i was ~
lieyed the peon!e at the polls wouldn't
he able 10 distinguish hetWser m
democratic or :.puh!ican ,-ina Of
reservations. ami tht; me treats gJes-
tion would BE- lost IN i ra2- ~ con
troversieS over domestic po!:r.eS
Unwilling 10 Aid Republicans.
But the President Is unwilling to
Play into republican BANDS H p.ars
10 make il as uncomfortable ~ Pos
sible for his opponents. He is WaitlGc
to see wEdt th- rlIIhiic3a :iI; iarta!
convention. VIII 4 .appr.,f. CHAR
man advorat.nE Publication ~ ne
treaty will. reservations viii do about
nnminatin. i man no denoIts.s fhr
whole treaty. reservations and all
namely. senator hiram Johnson or
Senator Philander =. Knox.
AIR Wilson has consulted nobody
in the Senate and has worked out his
own strategy. His tactics are not
altogether pleasing to his democratic
colleagues. but they admit he is play
ing bold hand and may succeed !
eventually in keeping the treaty issue
clear out by retaining lhe Versailles
pact at the White House Several
senators on the democratic size who
are not particularly in favor of the
Presidents supposed plan do never
fheiess see various grounds upon
which Mr.. Wilson could justify his
action. The President. as disclosed
by his veto Of the Knox resolution
accepts the action of trc Senate in
failing 10 pass the N-1ce treaty itself !
as fina! He argues hat'tnere is no
need for him TO send Tie treaty back
that the Senate has notified him that
IT cannot pass He appeals from the
Senate To the American people. He
wants a new Senate. on the other
hand. If the American people sustain
the present Senate next November.
Mr.. Wilson can turn over the develop
ment of American foreign policy and
the treaty and al data thereon to
the next President OF the United
States.
viii Let People Decide.
1T begins to loo" certain that Wood
row Wilson will never withdraw his
name from the treaty of Versailles or
negotiate a separate peace with Ger
many. He regards what the Senate has
tried to do in the way of peace reso-
luton as IAN ineffaceabls stain on
America honor. and. with that state
ment he rests mis- case. If the American
people differ with him they can say so
at the polls.
incidentally. AIR Wilson will have his
say in the democratic national platform
at San Francisco. There is no doubt
tnat he will write the plank on the treaty
issue himself and that he will then state
the case for o. against reservations
making distinctions then on the subject
OF nuliifying or interpretative reserva-
tlons, He has the advantage over the
republicans. for they must meet in
chicago first and declare themselves.
Tney could not afford to postpone action
on the treaty plank until after the demo-
Gratis nave me- without being open to
charges Of timidity. And if Johnson is
the nominee the republicans will un-
doubtedly have declared against the
~noie tres.y and covenant.
SO the President bides his time.
Keeps the treaty of peace al the White
rouse and proposes to do nothing
aDout SenGing ii back until the Sem
ate manifests it's desire TO have the
treaty back. II two-thirds of the
senate should get up a round robin
saying what reservations they would
IKE 10 see put upon the treaty and
submitted this request TO the Presi-
dent he could not afford to ignore II
Such move might be made after the
conventions and serve to befoe the
poiit1cai aiignments again. especially
II the Presidents side of the a-eu
ment appears to be making headway
me treaty issue il far from being
defined The politicians are too re-
sourceful 10 let Mr. Wilson have i,
all his way
Commen; on the Presidents veto
message was a mixture of cynicism
and suppressed approval. Most sena-
was poor noliticaI move because il
was destined to failure. 1t proposed
no International agreement and only
the repeal OF domestic laws. On the
other hand. republicans and demo-
Gratis alike thought the Presidents
poiltlcai astuteness was certainly a
bit faulty when he put that sentence
ABOUT the freedom of the seas and re-
duction of armaments in his veto
message He declared that the Knox
resolution did nothing about these
two points and members of Congress
recalled that Mr.. Wilson did nothing
about them at Paris either, at least he
side-stepped the freedom of seas and
Joined in proposal to establish SIM
ply committee of investigation on
the armament question. Somebody
might have censored Mr.. Wilson's
veto message for him and kept those
Two vulnerable passages out of II. but
so far as can be learned. the Presi-
dent didn't show his veto message to
any of his advisers. He is still play
ing lone hand.