Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1920-06-10
e '|RRECONC|LABLES'
THREATEN To BOLT.
Senators of Borah Group Say
They Will Leave Party If II
Does Not Declare Flatly
Against League of Nations

Chicago, June Q. (By the Associated
Press) ).-Republican differences over
the League of Nations eliminated to-
day in an open threat from "rrc-
conclable" senator's to leave the party
unless it declared flatly against the
League of Nations.
The ultimatum was delivered IN
dramatic fashion at a conference of
leaders 1t put the league issue sud-
deny to the fore of all other questions
before the national convention, not
excepting even the nomination Of a
presidential candidate.
Senators Borah of Idaho, Brandegee
of Connecticut and Mccormick of H.
linois, represented the irreconciliables
at the conference and former Senator
w. Murray Crane of ssachusetts. in
past conventions a. national leader,
spoke for the group demanding
plank for a league with reservations
Senator Watson of Indiana, chairman
of the conventions resolutions COM
mittee. who was present to represent
the party organization, took the roll o1
peace maker.
LEADERS APPRHHENSIVE
Tonight the leaders were only half
heartedly attempting to conceal their ap-
prehensions over the situation. Most OF
them grimly predicted an agreement, but
none appeared too sure Of his ground.
In a session which promised to last
through the night a resolutions suh-com-
mttee headed by Senator Watson. sought
to find a middle course which would hold
the party together.
Senator Crane coming Unexpectedly into
the swim OF convention affairs after sew
eral days, of quiet conferences, prefaced
the irreconcilable ultmatum by laying
on the council table a proposal that the
party declare attirmatively for ratif1ca-
tion of League of Nations covenant
with safeguarding reservations. Backed,
he said, by the group of mild reservation
senators, he indicated that unless such
a plank were adopted, all the dynamite
of the League of Nations would be let
loose on the convention floor.
BORAH'S MEANING PLAIN
The reply of the irreconcilables came at
once phrased in terms which no one mis-.
understood With considerable heat Sem
ator Borah told the conference that he
and his colleagues never could support
any plank declaring affrmativey for any
ratification of the treaty, reservations or
no reservations. Should the party adopt
Immediately and finally party company
with it.
NEITHER SIDE RECEDES
In desperate effort to bring harmony,
Senator Watson pleaded that the rising
animosities of the conferees be forgotten
and that both sides approach the subject
with a determination to avoid repetition
of the disastrous break of 1912. But neither
side receded and the meeting ended in an
atmosphere of solemn defiance.
So it stood tonight as the resolutions
subcommittee of thirteen sought to work
ou a solution. In the committee room be-
sides Senator Watson were Senators
Borah and Mccormick for the irreconcil'
: ables. Senator Smoot of Utah and nine
men of varying shades of opinion.
Outside the committee room, too, there
were a series of feversh conferences as
each side sought to assess how much OF
the attitude of his adversary was bluff
and how much was genuine.
. NO BLUFF IN PROGRAM
The irreconciliable group solernnly as,
sured their party leaders there was moi
4 a single element of bluff in their pro
gram and one of them is understood tt
have declared that should the party stanc
= for any sort of ratification, he woulc
4 resign from the Senate in order to b<
v free to carry the fight
What connection Senator johnson
= might have with the move was not
f revealed. Throughout the Senate figh'
o he stood shoulder TO shoulder witt
e Senator Borah. ut talk of possible
n Johnson bolt has been discounted bS
the men who are closest here to ths
Y California senator.
I Although the resolutions sub-com-
S mittee had been in session al day. Il
scarcely touched, until tonight on tht
l. League of Nations or any other sub
ject of serious controversy. Although
completely overshadowed by the treaty
situation, the plank on industrial re-
u latons was understood to have causet
Il some difference of opinion.
NO PROHIBITION PLANK
f Most of the day was spent in re.
d vislng and passing over the plani'
o prepared In pre-convention confer
= ences on the basis of findings of th'
6 committee of III, 1t was decided not Il
u include a plank on prohibition ant
none dealing in specific terms will
the soldier bonus,
II Whether the platform would be com
i pleted for presentation on schedul,
S time to the convention tomorrow re
Y, mained in doubt but the general pre-
n diction was that the League Disagree
l. ment would make it impossible.
= After several hours work tonight Sen
@ ator Watson announced that he did no
n believe the platform could be finished il
n time for presentation to the convention
before three o'clock tomorrow afternoon
Upon convening at IL, Senator Watson sale
the convention probably would have t.
10 determine upon a recess until afternoon o.
10 other business. :
A tentative draft OF the entire platform
s except the treaty, Mexican and labol
planks, Senator Watson said, had beel