The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1921-10-04
DEMOCRATS TO VOTE
INDIVIDUAL OPINIONS.
PARTY CONFERENCE REVEALS
WIDELY DIVERGENT VIEWS
ON PEACE PACT.

WASI1INGI Yin, -. ~. 4>~AAiD7
cratic senators have split badly on the
German, Austrian and Hungarian peace
treaties.
Finding a wide divergence OF opin-
ion among themselves with respect to
ratification the democratic senators
reached a general agreement at Sc
cret conferenc that an attempt at con-
certed party action would be futile.
1t was decided the democratic mem
bers Of the senate should follow their
individual opinions.
No reference to former President
Wilson's reported opposition to rati-
fcation was made at the conference, It
was stated, although a number OF DEM
ocratic- senators previously had been
given to understand that Mr.. Wilson
is opposed to the treaties.
The influence of the former president
was reported to be at work when the
entire democratic membership OF the
senate met in secret conference.
Senator Underwood, of Alabama, the
democratic minority leader, presided.
He was seconded by Senator Hitch
cock, of Nebraska, ranking democratic
member of the foreign relations COM
mittee, who led the fight of democrats
in the senate for the league OF nations.
Underwood and Hitchcock Favor
Ratification.
The fact that Senator John Sharp
Williams, of Mississippi, prominent
supporter of the Wilson policies in the
last administration, came out today
against the treaty, after he had voted
for it in the foreign relations commit
tee, caused surprise.
Inquiries in this connection disclos-
ed that the former president has been
in conference with some of the MEM
bers on the democratic side. Details
of such conference are not given out,
but it is understood that Mr.. Wilson
took the initiative in seeking them and
in expressing his objections to the
German and other peace pacts.
Senator Swanson, of Virginia, an
other democratic member of the for
eign relations committee, denied the
report that he had conferred with Mr..
Wilson regarding the iatter's credited
opposition to ratification on the
grounds that separate peace with the
Central powers would be betrayal OF
this oountry's associates i'll the world
war and that the terms of the treaties
would give the United States all the
advantages OF Thea Versailles treaty
without the assumption OF any OF its
responsibilities.
Senator Glass admitted he had seen
and conversed with former President
Wilson on several occasions recently
But let me make this plain, ne
added, IF Mr. Wilson were in favor
of ratification | would still be OPP
posed to it."
But Few Are Against the Treaty.
| In addition to the fifteen or eighteen
democrats reported against the treaties
it is understood that three or four re-
lpublicans are prepared to vote against
| IT. Prominent among the democrats
opposing the pact are Senators King
| of Utah, Glass of Virginia, Reed Of
Missouri, Watson of Georgia, Nickel
| lar OF Tennessee, and Harrison OF Mis-
sissippi. Their motives are mixed.
Reed and Watson are "irreconcilia-
bles," and most OF the Others are dis
ciples of ex-President Wilson and adj
vocates of his creed of closer participa-
ton in European affairs.
Senator Williams opposition took
most of his democratic colleagues by
surprise because of his having said he
would support the treaties when Sec
rotary Hughes appeared before the
senate foreign relations committee to
explain them.
Senator's Pomerene Of Ohio, Query
| of Rhode Island, Harris of Georgia
and Mcclellan of Tennessee are among
the democrats who say they have not
| decided what they are going TO do
fabout the treaties. They say they want
further opportunity to study them.
! But the democratic leaders express the
opinion that most democratic senators
will vote for ratification. The republic
can leaders say that not more than 20
votes, republican and democratic, will
be cast against ratification.
Underwood Criticised.
In the conference, attended by near
ly all of the thirty democratic senators,
views were exchanged and opinions
freely expressed. Senator Underwood.
democratic floor leader, who is not in
harmony with the opposition, was
mildly criticised for not keeping the
partys record straight and carrying
out the party platform, which declar-
ed against separate peace. Mr.. I'M
derwood resented the structures and
retorted by calling upon his colleagues
to resort to constructive criticism rath-
er than stubborn opposition.
The party started the conference
badly divided, due to the fact that Sen
ators Underwood and Hitchcock are
supporting the German treaty.