Evening star., 1920-03-01
EARLY PACT VOTE,
WITH DEFEAT, seen
G. o. P. Leaders Again Say
Article X Reservation Must
Stand as Written.

| An early and unfavorable vote on
ratification of the peace treaty was
forecsft in the Senate today when the
republican leaders, in response to the
demands of the treaty's irreconciiable
republican opponents. reaffirmed their
decision not to accept any change of
| substance or of language in the re-
publican reservation to article X.
Enough democratic senators to de-
feat ratification. it is conceded by
both sides, are determined to stand
with President Wilson and vote
against the treaty unless the article
* qualification Is modified. In these
circumstances, the republican decision
today was followed by evidences that
all the elements in the Senate fight
would cooperate to end debate and
let the treaty issue go undecided into
the campaign.
Some Predict Vote Thursday.
Some of the leaders predicted a
! final vote by Thursday. but others
| thought it would not come before the
| first of next week.
| Under the agreement reached be-
| tween the republican leaders and the
| irreconcilable the latter will not carry
| out the program of prolonged de-
bate which they began last week.
| They also will support the republican
| reservation program as they did at
| the last session of Congress-. although
they will vote. as they did then,
| against ratification.
! Today's decision grew out of a. con-
! ference yesterday between the repub-
lican leader, Senator Lodge of Massa-
chusetts, and Senator Borah, repub-
lican. of Idaho. spokesman for the
| irreconcilables. Previously Senator
Borah had been in conference with
| Senator Hitchcock of Nebraska. the
| democratic leader. and it is under
| stood the information laid before Sem
| ator Lodge convinced him that no
| ratification would be possible either
with or without modification of the
article x provision.
Drawbacks to Modification.
| If it were modified. 1t was intimat ed,
| the irreconcilables might feel dis
posed to prevent q ratification vote
unless such vote were rendered in
expedient by the assembling of the
were not modified. It was said. a COM
binatiop of irreconcilables and admin
istration senators. already pledged.
would vote down ratification.
In the unyielding stand they have
taken on article x the administration
backed up by a reaffirmation of Presi-
dent Wilson's decision not to accept
the republican reservation. Although
! 1t was said no formal communication
came from the White House, 1t was
understood administration senators
| had taken steps to satisfy themselves
that Mr.. Wilson had not changed his
mind, and that he intended to pocket
the treaty II it were ratified with the
article x reservation unchanged.
! IrrecOncllables Oppose Change.
| Republican senator's irreconcilabl bly,
opposed to the peace treaty took Wig
| orous measures again yesterday to
block any modification of the article
x reseryat ton, which was adopted last
November. and which has since proved
| the greatest barrier to all compro-
mise negotiations.
Feeling that the republican leaders.
unable to obtain enough votes to
ratify the treaty with the reservation
unchanged. might consent to some
modification. the irreconcilables
served notice through Senator Borah,
republican, of Idaho. that unless the
provision were kept as it stands they
| would reserve liberty OF action when
consideration of the treaty Is resumed
| senator Lodge Gets Ulttmatum.
The new ultimatum, similar IN ma
ture to one laid down by the irrec-
oncilables during the bipartisan
compromise negotiations was pre-
sented directly to the party leader
Secs.c, LodNs OF Massachusetts VINO