Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1921-10-10
OPPOSITION Of Democrats to
Pacts Grows Stronger As
Voting Date Approaches
C. O. ?. DlSSENSION
German Americans Not In Favor
OF Treaties As At First Thought.
Offer Objections.

Washington, Oct. 10.-For the
first time since President Harding
submitted the peace treaties to the
Senate there appears serious appre-
hension that ratification may be de-
feated.
The Democrats. who, when the
separate treaties were presented,
were almost equally divided. are
now two to one, on the lowest count,
against ratification, and there is a
strong probability that the vote Il
week hence will show close ap.
rroach TO unanimity on the minorit;y'
side. More than this, there are ru-
Tcrs that the soidity Of the Repub-
llcan line has been broken and that
secessions to the group OF two or
three who, with Senator Borah.
have been fighting the treaty from
the start, are imminent.
Ii this report turns out TO be cor
rect, the treaties face defeat, as q
switch of half a dozen Republican
Senators would make ratification
Impossible.
Seven Democrats at least must
vote for the treaty if it is going
through. If Senator Norris is we'll
enough to vote. and if Senator Ladd
;Oins the Borah group, as many an
ticipate. nine Democrats is the min
lmum that will pass the treaties.
I'huS far no leader has been willing
to make a list Of nine Democrats
who are sure to vote for the treaties
Tomerene and Walsh. of Montana,
originally classed as sure to vote for
doubtful at best. Underwood and
Hitchcock are both for ratification
although Hitchcock's name also has
been used in the rumors OF changes.
The fact that the old leader las noU
yet taken advantage of the invita-
ton to visit Woodrow Wilson makes
it extremely doubtful if anything
r1ore than the wish being father to
the thought is behind the word that
nc was slipping.
The wisdom Of the Administration
III forcing an agreement to limit the
speech making after next Friday is
apparent, for at the rate Of progress
beng made by the anti-treaty folks
every additional days delay in
crcases the perils that baset the
treaties. If they should happen TO
be defeated it will constitute the
b!&ges triumph for Seantor Borah
mat any Senator has gained in re-
cent years. His fight for disarma-
ment that eliminated in the calling
Of the arms conference was the most
sensational achievement of any in
dividual Senator in modern Con-
eressional history and accounts in
some degree for the apprehension
that has been cngendered by his pres
en-: campaign.
When he started opposition to the
treaties he was almost alone. The
Democrats were apathetic. most of
them inclining to the position that
although they did not like the treaty
with Germany, regarding it as sub
terfugc promulgated merely because
the Administration did not care to
offer the Versailles treaty, any
thing was better than continuation
Of .he anomalous technical state of
wa1'. Underwood, the leader of the
minority. and Hitchcock, the leader
of the Wilson forces in the late
Congress. were for the treaty
he theory of support for the
treaty by those who advocated its
ratification was that it was desired
b. those who advocated its ratifica-
ticn was that it was desired by
those Of German sympathies in this
country, and would hasten the
smoothing out of war hatreds. Now
it appears that the German-Ameri-
cans are anything but enthusiastic
FOR it,