AMERICA AND THE TREATY.

Auckland Star, Volume LI, Issue 40, 16 February 1920, Page 5

AMERICA AND THE TREATY.

■ THE STUMBLING BLOCK. i SENATORIAL OPINIONS. j (Received 10 ajn.) , NEW YORK, February 15. The New York "Times" Washington correspondent states that Senator Hitchcock and other Administration Senators, expressed the belief that the reservation of Article 10 would prove a stumbling block to the ratification of the Peace Treaty. Mr. Hitchcock said that neither the original Lodge reservation nor its substitute would be aex'eptable. As a Senator he preferred the original Lodge reservation to its substitute, bnt he could not vote for either of them. Mr. Hitchcock said the situation was now in the control of the Republicans, and if they were unwilling to modify the reservation to the satisfaction of Mr. Wilson's followers, then they must accept the full responsibility in the event of the treaty failing to be ratified. The London correspondent of the "New York World" interviewed Mr. A. -T. Balfour, who stated that if the United States enters the League of Nations with reservations, other countries, at the expiration of two years' membership, will also withdraw and demand readmittance with reservations. This will mean the ruin of the league. Twenty-eight democratic senators have signed a statement offering two drafts of a compromise reservation in regard to article ten of the League of Nations Covenant. Mr. G. M. Hitchcock said that the democrats would vote for either draft accepted by Mr. H. C. Lodge.—(A. and N.Z." Cable.)