The New York herald., 1920-01-20
Bipartisan Conference of Sen
ators Begins Work on First
of Knotty Problems.
MINOR ISSUES SETTLED
Chances for Compromise Permitting
Ratification May Be Known
in Few Days.
Herald bureau,
No. 1,J02 II street, ". W.,
Warrington, ID. c., Monday,

sOns Ds t.. nOnQay.
Within the'ncxt few days it may be pos
s.blc TO predict with some degree of ac-
curacy whether the peace treaty will be
ratified by an agreement on a compro-
mise programme OF reservations in time to
keep IL from becoming the chief issue II
the Presidential campaign. At the close
OF another meeting of the bipartisan con-
ference Of Senator'S today Il was admitted
by both Senator Hitchcock, Of Nebraska.
the administration spokesman, and Sena-
tor Lodge, of Massachusetts, Republican
leader. that only minor matters" have
been discussed heretofore. but that the
conference has at last Begun considera-
ton OF the first of the knotty questions OH
the settlement OF which the fate of the
treaty depends.
II is the reservation on the British plural
voting. or to feature OF the league
covenant, to which reference was made.
This is ssndbar upon which we may
stick for sono time" remarked Sena tor
Hitchcock. as 10 left the room OF the
Foreign Relations Committee, where the
conference Of four Republicans and five
Democrats hsd been in progress most OF
the day.
AN ar-oement has SeLa reached AMONG
the conferrees that no detailed informa
ton as TO their discussions shall be made
pubic until they become more definite
in character. IL was learned tonight. how
ever. that there has been no serious con-
sideration up 10 date OF any OF the vital
principles at issue. The reservations on
Arff fnla -
Shantung award. for instance. have been
passed over tentatively" 10 quote Sen
ator Hitchcock again
Once moro the optimistic staternents
that some progress is being made" were
given out by the Democratic confer-ees
but the Republicans declared n was too
early to tell anything about IL.
One Senator Holds Key.
One OF tho Republican conferrees re-
marked that IL was impossible 70 mako
any prediction at this time because Il was
impossible 10 tell what is in the minds
or all of the Democrats" The hint was
cropped that, while four OF the Democratic
Senators apparently were anxious for a
compromise on the basis OF the Lodge res
ervations, there was one who held the KEY
to the matter whose attitude was still
puzzle. That one Is easily recognized as
Senator Hitchcock who up to this time
has not shown any willingness to agree
to compromise that Is likely to be un-
acceptable to President Wilson.
The Republican reservation on the plural
voting provision OF the League OF Nations
Covenant offers an opportunity to test the
sincerity OF tho Democrats. II was
drafted by Senator Lenroot. OF Wisconsin
a leader among the Republican mild res.
ervationists." and It's purpose is TO With
hold the assent of the United States 10
any action OF the league determined upon
by ball"ting In which the British Empire
casts more than one vote. The conferrecs
will meet again tomorrow morning and at
tack this troublesome srag. They arc
likely to be at the Job for several days
before it can be determined whether an
agreement is possible.
Senator Lodge has decided not 20 replv
to the challenge Of Senator Hitchcock 10
produce tangible evidence that tho peonlc
of the country are in favor OF the Repub-
lican reservation programme. Senator
Hitchcock made this challenge after read
ing to the Senate last week the results
of the college polls on the treaty. In the
opinion of the Republican leaders. these
polls merely show that the college students
and faculty members arc in favor OF rati-
fication by compromise, without agree
ment as 70 what the compromise shall
be, and therefore, shed no light on the
y.
speak for the public.
Senator Lodge does not see how II will
help along a compromise to reopen the
partisan debate on the floor OF the Sem
alto, and for the present he is disinclined
TO lend his voice to any such move.
Nevertheless debate in the Senate
broke out again today when Senator
Hitchcock asked leave to print in the
Record a tabulation OF the college poll
figures.
"They show the great preponderance
OF support for unqualified ratification
or compromise reservations which we
on this side advocate over the destruc-
tive reservations proposed by Senator
Lodge" said Senator Hitchcock.
This vote among the colleges was a
vote said Senator McCor-
mick. "As soon as IL was announced
Continued on rage Five. Col. six.)