New-York tribune., 1920-05-11

was either good or bad thing If
IT was as good as the President and
his associates insisted it required
neither amendments nor reservations
If 1T was as bad as we insisted neither
amendment nor reservation could
make it good
"The President has consistently
maintained his position and | can
respect an adversary of that sorss
Those for whom | have no respect in
this contest are the men who were
with the President when they thought
his position was popular during the
discussion last year and who then de-
manded the immediate passage of the
league without reservations or amend
mcnts and who now, with the varying
popular wind. embrace the so-called
Lodge reservations, which they de-
nounced for SO long time"
Senator Reed, Democrat, Missouri.
said: "Thc Presidents demand that
the treaty shall be accepted exactly as
he brought it from Versailles is the
finest scheme Of premeditatcd political
suicide yet devised. Coupled with his
announced intention of vetoing the
peace resolution, it amounts to nothing
more than demand that the country
shall remain indefinitely in technical
state of war with Germany and Aus
tria. | say this because, as is we'll
known to everybody in the United
States, except possibly the President,
the present Senate will under no cir
cumstances ratify the treaty unless the
league of nations covenant is radically
changed.
Senate's Position Secure
"This present Senate will continue
4 n cf lv &c
by death excepted until the fourth
day of March, 1921. It's life will expire
at exactly the same moment the Presi-
dent goes out of Office and is succeeded
by another man. For | take it that no
man in his senses believes that Mr.
Wilson can be elected to third term,
even if he is physically fit to perform
the duties of his office, which, regret
to say, he has not been for the last
eight months.
"Thc Presidents attitude, therefore.
IS that we shall continue the present
state Of war until he goes out of
office
"One-third of tho Senate will be re-
elected in November of this year, but
cannot take office, even if a special ses- |
sion is called, before March 4, 1921. Of |
the thlrtY-tWo Senators whose terms
arc expiring, eighteen arc Democrats.
Of the eighteen Democrats, all but one |
constituted the most ardent supporters !
of the Presidents position. The seats |
OF at least tWo-thirds Of these Demo |
Gratis are seriously in jeopardy. There |
is no prospect of increasing the Demo-
cratic vote in the Senate. There is a
serious prospect of its decrease. But, |
even if it were to be increased by the |
reelection of every Democrat and the
election of additional Democrats, no
sane man can expect the Democrats to
control two thirds ma jorlty. And not
a living Republican in the Senate will |
accept the league of nations without
radical reservations and changes.
Treaty Put Beyond Pale
This puts the ratification of the
treaty as demanded by President Will
son not only beyond the pale of proba-
bilitles, but also beyond the pale of
THE acceptance of the Presidents
iictum will place virtually every Dem
ocrat running for reelection in an in
letcnslble position, because these Dem
ocrats, with the exception Of Senator
Marcus A. Smith. Of Arizona; Senator
Underwood, of Alabama, and Senator
John Walter Smith, of Maryland, have
'oted for certain of the Lodge rcserva-
ions. They are Beckham, of kentucky;
Chamberlain, of Oregon; Fletcher, of |
Florida; Gay, of Louisiana; Gore, Of |
oklahoma; Henderson, of Nevada;
Johnson. of South Dakota; Kirby of !
Arkansas; Nugent, of Idaho; Overman,
Of North Carolina; Hhelan, Of Califor-
MA; Smith, Of South Carolina; Smith,
Of Georgia, and Thomas, of Colorado. s. /
ION such a platform as the Pres-
1ent demands, it is my opinion that |
we will lose every state north of |
Mason and DiXon's line and that the |
solid South will be broken"
Senator Moses, of New Hampshire, |
Republican. said: "Thc President once
n ore has shown himself to be our best
friend"
Senator Thomas, Democrat, of Colo
rado, said: at would be most unfor-
-unate if the Democratic convention
should follow the Presidents advice"
Action Logical Says Fess
Representative Fess, of Ohio, said: