The Washington times., 1921-11-11
GHOST
To HOVER NEAR
PARLEY TABLE
Senate ''lrreconcilables" Fear
Skeleton Of Versailles Will
Rattle Loudly.
BY J. BART CAMPBELL, :,
International News Service.

by j. bahI SAmfbEIi.
International News Service.
Senate "irreconcilables" are con-
WINGED that the League of Nations
will prove the Banauo's ghost at
the armament limitations confer
ence.
Their fears and alarms have been
increased by confidential advices
they have received from overseas
that the British. French and Italian
delegates to the conference will
come fully prepared to discuss
changes in the league covenant
which would make it fit in with
President Harding's idea Of an "as-
ISOLATION of nations"
Sec u. 5. Pushed Lesgueward.
Senator Borah. Republican, OF
IDAHO, chief spokesman OF the Sen
ate element whose watchword Is mo
entangling foreign alliances. Is or the
opinion that, economically and finan-
cially, the United States IL being
slowly and secretly eassd into the
leagu. Ii Is known at the Capitoi
that II was chiefly under British and
French pressure that the recent tie
neva convention Of the league care
fully sidestepped the moot question
of world disarmament. II was de-
ided TO await developments at the
Washington conference.
This. in Borah's Judgment. was In
line with the avowed policy OF the
british and French governments 70
have the league wait on the wash
.ngton conference before attempting
20 dispose Of the major world prob
.ems confronting the former.
IL is no new thing for the British
ind French 10 be anxious TO make
10 the American Go. ern-
ment II the United States were will
ing 10 be drawn INTO a league modi-
fled In accordance with American
ideas.
VIII President Listen?
The nub Of the situation n, Of
course, how far the President would
listen to the pro-league suggestions
OF Secretary of State Hughes and
Secretary OF Commerce Hoover. or
how far the President would be able
to persuade the Senate TO agree 10
modified league covenant.
Another determining factor OF the
situation is the historic fact that for
:ner President Wilson promised much
ut the Versailles conference, hut was
able 10 perform nothing when he re-
turned home and found the Senate
standing In the way of the entry OF
the United States into the legaue.
But Mr.. Wilson's party was In the
in the Senate. President
party is not. although II
does not command the two-thirds
vote essential TO the ratification OF a
treaty or an international agreement
President Harding's influence with
most Republican Senators Is an open
question where foreign relations are
involved. He was. however able 10
win nearly all Of them--and even
some Of those ''irreconcilably' op
posed to the league. like johnson OF
California and Brandegee OF Con
to ratification Of the
German, Austrian, and Hungarian
treaties. They split on the Borah
proposal for free tolls for American
coe stwise vessels using the Panama
Canal, although warned by Senator
Lodge that there were "compellins
why the Administration did
not favor 1t on the eve of the arma-
ment limitation conference.
Underwood Favored Treaties.
Senator Underwood Of Alabama, the
Senate minority leader, supported the
German, Austrian, and Hungarian
treaties, but he was unable to line ny
many Democratic Senators for them.
How far his sympathies would lend
themselves to whatever suggestions
for an Association OF nations" the
conference in which he is to partici.
pate may evolve Is problematical. The
recent treaty fight in the Senate indi-
Gated that Underwood's influence with
number of his Democrats collea gucs
is negative when pitted against the
element in the Democratic party rep
resented by Mr.. Wilson.
But ratification Of the treaties dem
onstrated beyond peradventure the
enough Democratic Senator are
no longer susceptible TO the Wilson in.
fluence to permit an almost solid Re
pub blican majority TO carry out the Ad'
ninistration's foreign policies. Senator
Underwood and the Democratic Sena
tors who usually share his view OF for
eign questions I'm reality hold the hal
ar,ce OF power on the Democratic side,
despite the swing OF the Wilson Gle
mont In the direction of tho Versailles
ment as typ'fied by Senators Reed OF
Missouri and Watson OF Georgia away
from II.
without Democratic support II is
patent that the ratification OF any in
ternational pact the President and tho
State Department may negotiate Us
impossible. but the ''irreconcilables. -
like Rorah ~ Idaho and LaFollette
Of Wisconsin are now SO few on the
Republican side ne 10 he almost neCli.
cible. and comparatively few Demo
cratic votes are therefore recesssrH
TO insure ratification.
S,;,atr Different Now.
The Senate situation ts accordingly
obviously different so far sS the pres
ent Administration Ia concerned with
foreign afairE than II was when Mr.
Wilson presided AZ the White House
n nd directed the activities OF the state
Department and replaced one Secre
tarv Of state with another whenever
ne failed 10 grasp the Wilsoniar pur.
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