Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1920-12-22

AAhAAAI- On us return AEou AAhd-
ma As 10 what the United states
shah do about the Versailles treaty
and the League OF Nations. The
/ conference will take place at the
/ home Of the President-elect in Marion
and viii begin about December 10
and run for a fortnight or more. While
there has been no public announce
ment as 70 the definite arrangement
for this series Of conferences. the I'M
| Outstanding here Is that the president
elect will see two or three men daily
until he feels that he has absorbed
proper amount OF information. Elihu
Root. former senator and former sec
rotary of state. has been invited TO
be in Marion December 10 and IL is
presumed that he will be the first man
consulted.
The men who are to be consulted
with respect 20 the treaty and the
league divide into three groups. First
there IS the group made up Of So
called irrecOncilables. Republicans and
Democrats. who are opposed TO the
United States becoming a member OF
any international league or associa-
ton. Then there is a second group
made up Of men who would discard
the Versailles treaty. including the
League of Nations covenant, and at
temp! TO bring the nations into some
sort OF understanding looking TO the
prevention of war. Finally there Is
the group made up Of men who be-
lleve that the United States should
20 into the existing league with proper
reservations. and once in, seek TO
bring about such amendments as may
seem desirable.
Some Who Will Be Consulted.
Public men who have thus far tot
been invited 10 confer with the Pres
ident-elect on the treaty and the
league are Specializing as 10 the men
who viii he asked out TO Marion. IL
is taken for granted that the irrecOn-
cilable group viii be represented by
Senators Hiram W. Johnson of Cali
fornia. Frank b. BranGagee of Con-
necticut and William +. BOrah OF
Idaho, Republicans. and James A
Reed Of Missouri, Democrat. II IS By
no means certain that all four Of
these irrecOucilables will be called
into conference. but certainly this will
be the group from which Mr.. Harding
viii choose Senator Johnson will, OF
course. expect 10 be called into con-
ference since he has been the leader
Of the frrecOncilable group.
When It comes 10 looking for advice
from men who would wipe the slate
clean and then attempt to form some
sort OF an international association,
the Presldent-elect. IL Is believed, viii
Urn 20 Senators Philander c. Knox OF
Pennsylvania. George II. Moses %
New Hampshire and Harry $. New
Of Indiana.
In making selections from the third
group. Dir. Harding will have a some
what larger company 10 choose from.
There viii be Elihu Root William ii.
Taft. Jacob Gould SChurman, Senator
Porter J. McCumber of North Dakota,
and Herbert Hoover, all Republicans,
and Senator Gilbert VI. Hitchcock Of
Nebraska Democrat Mr.. Taft has al
ready received his invitation TO go to
Marion. He will be there a day or
two after the visit of Elihu Root.
How Does Lodge stand7
70 viii be noted that Senator Henry
Cabot Lodge. majority leader in the
senate and chairman Of the foreign
relations committee. does not appear
IN either one of these three groups.
aud yet it is certain that he will be
consulted. ne is not assigned because
persons here who ought to know where
he stands. II anybody knows. confess
they do not know what position he
will take in his conference With the
President-elect. Most observers here
are disposed 10 classify Senator
Lodge with the irrecOncilables, though
II Is true, of course, that at the last
session he advocated ratification with
reservations and so voted.
After the views of the three groups
have been submitted. the President
elect. so persons who know something
about his program say, will attempt TO
unite the Republicans of the senate on
a program. This is conceded by all
to be a big task.
The first assembly of the League OF
Nations viii have completed its work
before Mr.. Harding begins his con-
ferences with the representatives OF
these groups. Il is assumed that the
outcome Of the assembly meeting will
not be without effect on the minds OF
the men who have been invited 10 con-
fer with the President-elect and also
on the mind OF the President-elect
himself. For instance, IL the meeting
OF the assembly should indicate
rather clearly that the league has
come 10 stay whether the United
States enters IL or not. that fact
would naturally become an important
factor In the conferences.