New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1921-07-06
I'll ar lin g's Conference
With Hughes RevealsOld
Attack ON Versailles Pact
is Being Stirred Anew
President Discovers
Self i'm Dilemma
Lodge-knox Group Still
Determined Tt Shall Not
BE Resubmitted to Vote
By Carter Field


return of President Harding to o-day and
a long conference between the Presi-
dent and Secretary of State Hughes it
became apparent that the old peace
treaty fight is on again in full blast.
A visit by Senator Lodge, chairman of
the Foreign Relations Committee. to
the White House intensified the inter
est until it was learned that he did
not discuss the international situation
with the President
But the President is in dilemma.
On the one hand Secretary Hughes ana
Secretary of Commerce Hoover are
fighting hard to have the Versailles
Treaty ratified with reservations and
amendments. They regard that as the
simple method Of accomplishing what
IS desired. That would enable the
government, as they view it, to safe
guard every right which the United
States is granted under the treaty and
under the armistice, in one blanket ac-
ton. The only complication would be
that the consent of the principal gov
ernments involved in the American
reservations and amendments would be
necessary. They feel sure that this
could easily be obtained.
Opposition Warns Harding
But the group in the Senate, headed
by such Senators as Lodge and Knox
and constituting beyond doubt very
powerful group, if not a majority of
the Senate, does not want the Yer
left the President in no doubt as to
their position. They have frankly
warned him that to resubmlt the
treaty would precipitate the worst fight
the President has yet encountered on
Captol Hill.
They do not admit the difficulties
which Hughes and Hoover see in any
other course than the resubmission of
the Versailles Treaty. They contend
; that agreements could be made with
the Allied governments which would
retain for the United States every
right granted in either the Versailles
Treaty OR the arnistice.
They do not believe that any number
of reservations would make the treaty
satisfactory to them. They object to
its very title. They want no treaty
which has the word "Versailles" tackled
on to it, which perhaps is another way
of saying that they do rot want any
thing which to their minds bears the
taint of Wisconsin,
Irreconcilables Stronger
1t is difficult to exaggerate the stub
bornness of their position on this ques-
ton, but it is certain that President
Harding is fully aware of the situation.
There is nothing remotely resem bling
the situation of eighteen months ago,
when President Wilson was never ac-
curately informed by his advisers as
to the strength of the opposition to the
treaty.
The truth is that, eve. assuming that
all of the Democrats are unchanged,
the opposition to the Versailles treaty
in the Senate is stronger now than it
was then. There are more rreconcila-
Bile Senators-at least openly-than
there were when Mr.. Wilson was try
ing to drive the treaty through with
out reservations. Assuming that Mr..
Harding wanted to-and this is merely
an sumption, because he has not
finally made up his mind what he wants
he could not get anything like as
good bargain as the Senate offered
Mr.. Wilson.
To Safeguard United States Rights
Questioning of Administration spokes-
mem day developed only one very
clear thought. That is that the Ad-
ministration is determined to safe
guard every American right or claim
which was conceded by either the Yer
sailles Treaty or the armistce. AS to
the plan of safeguarding, or the tech
nical method of going about it, no de-
cision has been reached.
1t was said that the various possible
plans are being considered, and it was
indicated very strongly that no deci-
sion had been reached. Partisans Of
both sides are vociferous. They con-
cede very little strength of argument
to the other side. And in between is
President Harding, with very little love
for the Versailles Treaty, but being
told positively by the two men whose
advice he has taken so far on interna-
tional questions Hughes and Hoover
that the Versailles Treaty route is
the only intelligent one to be pursued