Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1920-01-10
TREATY
ONLY Is
LAST RESORT
.f,.stinued nom Page ons)

ee.om,tic senate II the people
ssS a. the Democratic conten-
- 4 he nsxt campaign. And be
ss;t. SIRE that the Democratic
si eet . two-thirds control OF
~ sessfa It that. There WAS =
ssssic interruption a. some one
~ ovt, Stand by the president,
Tssersn Bryan. accustomed 70
ss.Stine. shot back quickly:
n re gentleman will guarsn-
=. !. that We will win by making the
:,ssfy : party issue. shall be glad
supoort. 1t would be pleasant
A. 70 But can We VIM?
pows to Senate Majority.
And then Mr.. Bryan proceeded to
..sivxe article 10 and to argue that
~ the Republicans had the ma
sss,fv and since he believed in
.rIar government. II was wise to
a.. the facts and bow to the ma
sss,tv and ret the best compromise
ssssible. Mr.. Bryan argued that
,sssmuch as q majority Of congress
souid declare war, a majority could
s,;.h n And without waiting to
~. constitutional amendment
.dontad to abolish the two-thirds
- IN the senate. Mr.. Bryan was
rsady to accept the will Of the Re
Xpubiican majority.
Z In the face of Mr.. wilson's I'M
compromising attitude. there is no
J douht that Mr.. Bryan struck a SYM
nsthetic note. His hearers we're
,orn between feelings OF party fl
dsNty 10 the man in the White
hruse and the practical sense OF
NJ Bryan's argument about get
tlnr action now and changes in the
treaty later. But one should not
have the impression that the other
things Mr. Bryan advocated notably
on domestic issues, provoked much
response. Other speakers boldly
M at his suggestions and plainly
argued against resurrecting some
Of his "isms."
Leaves Much to Be Guessed.
But President Wilson, as usual,
left much unsaid in his letter to the
BANQUET He didn't say whether he
meant the word referendum" to
be taken figuratively or literally
He didn't say whether he would or
would not be candidate for re-
Rejection and plenty Of differences
Vere drawn that he would be. But
here is the best of authority for
laying he will not be.
A But while on the surface it would
seem that there is a clean break be-
tween the president and Mr.. Bryan
about the policy the Democratic
Marty should follow, in reality the
effect OF all the pronouncements
from the Democratic side and the
comment made in public statements
BY Republican senators after the!
read the speeches would amount t.
this:
President Wilson will take reser
vations that explain and perhaps
ahplify ambiguous clauses in thu
treaty. He will compromise OF
phraseology but he will not com
promise with the man who has
knife out to destroy the treaty
Rather would he submit the ISSUE
to the people. II it does take man!
months more to decide ii.
Mr.. Bryan believes compromis'
can be worked out that will not de
stroy the great parts Of the treaty
Senator Oscar Underwood is pessi
mistic about that. while Senator
Hitchcock is only hopeful.
The Republican leaders joyful.
receive Mr.. Wilson's letter as al
opportunity to transfer from thcil
own shoulders responsibility TO
delaying ratification to the shout
ders of President Wilson.
! Nobody Takes Initiative.
Nobody, it will be noticed, viii
ytake the initiative in making tn
affair a party issue In the cam
3paign. Everybody says. III thu
|other fellow does not compromise
l We welcome the chance to go be
fore the people"
1t would not be surprising to fiut
the White house explaining that tn
president does not mean "referen
dun" in a figurative but litera
sense. that he doesn't necessaril!
Wish to see the league question tiet
up with the matter Of voting on
presidential personality. What HI
may yet suggest Is general refer
sndum, with yes" and no" op
portunity to say whether the LodE'
reservations or the Wilson program
or a set of com nromisp reRpryatiOu