The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1920-12-06
COVENANT
AND TREATY.
TO SENATE
President Wilson Urged
to Send League Docu-
ments to Upper House.

/ /
BY DAVID LAWRENCE.
Especial to The Argus)
Washington, D. c.. Dec 4.-The
gap in government between the Viii
son and Harding administrations
will be bridged. Senator Harding
will call at the White house to pay
his respects. Conferences between
members of the future cabinet and
the present executives Of the differ
ent government departments will
come subsequent to the announce
ment Of new cabinet personnel. The
response OF Republican as well as
Democratic editors to the sugges-
tions OF close cooperation between
the outgoing and incoming admin
istraions for the best interests OF
the whole country has been almost
unanimously favorable.
President Wilson himself is said
to be ready to tell Senator Harding
all the facts Of foreign relations as
they have been conveyed to him so
that In mapping out his own foreign
policy, the president-elect shall
have the beneht of the latest infor-
nation concerning the true attitude
Of foreign governments.
The president ia being urged,
moreover, to send the treaty Of
Versailles back to the senate. 1t is
/ true that the senate once adopted a
resolution saying 1t could not be
ratified in its present form but the
important happenings at Geneva
have altered the whole face Of
! things. The unanimous interpreta-
ton given officially at Geneva by the
assembly Of the league that Article
Ten did not mean a guarantee Of
,, territorial integrity n has been sug-
gested in the debates in the Amer
tcap senate but simply refers to ex-
ternal aggression has been looked
upon BY friends Of the president as
Ia good augury. The statement
moreover Of Denmark that she
could not furnish troops for a GER
tain purpose called for by the
leagues council is also regarded as
q precedent that will bolster up the
view taken by Mr.. Wilson hereto
fore concerning the freedom Of ac-
tion Of every nation on the subject
of military aid.
Harding WIN Decide.
But there is no suspicion here
| that Mr., Wilson will try to fOist his
views about the league on Mr. Hard
| ing. The latter will decide for
himself whether the league is dead
issue or not and what he will do
about it. On the other hand, the
particular problem before the presi-
dent as seen by friends OF the
league is that unless he sends the
treaty and covenant back to the
senate, there will be nothing before
tina. body. 1t is suggested. fol
example, that it would be difficult
for MIR. Harding to send the treaty
to the senate without first arranging
with other powers for changes
Also the view is being urged upoI
the president that full response
Ibility for the failure to ratify ths
treaty would rest upon the senate
if he sent the document to the uppel
house with his own suggestions @
changes that could be made to sat
iisfy criticisms made heretofore.
I Indeed. it would OCCASION no sur
prise if Mr.. Wilson reakzing his de
feat at the last election would a
last make a compromise suggestion
and leave it to the Republican sen
ate to approve or reject but fur
nishing at any rate a basis for tn,
tcontinuance OF the discussion.
| G. o. p. Hopes.
| The Republicans themselve
would prefer that Mr.. Wilson. for
[get about the treaty and keep it il
a pigeon-hole until Senator Harding
! gets inside the White house and be
gins cleaning up his desk and exam
lining his files. They are fearful tina
: the demand in the next few week
will be for legislation to afford re
: lief to the farmers Of the west, tn,
cotton growers of the south an,
: agriculturalists generally. Th
clash between the city and the farm
is q serious one. The attitude o
7 the treasury department may b
said to reflect President Wilson
views, namely that the credit Of tn
United States is already in sue
strained condition that to 'exten'
, loans to any one class would onl
start q general demand for relic
which would weaken the govern
ment purse and force down tn
price of Liberty bonds and oths
obligations.
+ Cempels Conference.
j Much Of the trouble 10 due to tn
! fact that while the people voted Il
November to turn the Democrat
! administration out OF power, tn
!, new administration doesn't com
into once until three months hav
passed and probably will not ge
familiar with the problems IN ham
! for another two months after thai
, while American business suffers al
: tsorts Of fears and Nervousness
This shaly condition Of the eco
I uomic world win compel confer
. encss betwean the Wilson an
: Harding administration and be
tween Republican Gnd Democrat
: leaders. Most o6iciAla are optimii
: tic about tho future and attribut
: ths entire business upset to th
!. | pains Of readjustment and the diff
: culties Of changing administration
; I'm the midst OF . reconstruction pei