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Show Reservations Agreed On by Group of Solons for Presentation to Lodge and Party Leaders. Based on Communications Communica-tions Sent tb Washington Washing-ton by Former Presidents Presi-dents Taft and Hughes. WASHINGTON, July 31. Developments shaped up today for a sharper definition of the senate Issues raised by the league of nations and the Shantung agreement, while another and hitherto obscure section sec-tion of the Versailles treaty relating to alien enemy property was brought under fire in the foreign relations committee. To the league controversy seven Republican Re-publican senators, all friendly to the treaty, added a new feature hy agreeing to a definite group of reservations, whose wording they hope will furnish a middle ground, attracting enough members of both parties to insure the league's acceptance ac-ceptance by the senate. Regarding Shantung, it became known that in the very near future a declaration declara-tion throwing light on Japan's intentions inten-tions is definitely counted on by administration adminis-tration senators. It may come, it is said, from Tokio, but failing that, from the White House. The alien property section, brought into question for the first time, was declared by Republican senators at a public committee com-mittee hearing to "validate" in every respect re-spect the acts of A. Mitchell Falmer as alien enemy property custodian, closing the door of legal appeal even to American Ameri-can citizens who were minority stockholders stock-holders in German concerns taken over by the government. BLANKET CLAUSE IN TREATY IS CITED. They cited a blanket clause in the treaty providing that "no question shall be raised as to the regularity of a transfer trans-fer of any property" under war legislation. legisla-tion. During the day there was more speech -making on the treaty in the senate, and President Wilson submitted for ratifica- tion along with the treaty the protocol agreed to at Versailles containing additional addi-tional requirements upon Germany. The president also was told by two more Republicans Re-publicans at the White House that reservations reser-vations would be necessary if tho league I is to bo ratified. Of the day's developments, the agreement agree-ment of the seven Republicans attracted perhaps the widest attention at the capl-tol. capl-tol. For several weeks senators of that (Continued on Page 8, Column 3.) SUBMIT PROPOSALS (Continued Tram Pago One.) parry who desire to s the league accepted ac-cepted have been shaping a reservation program designed to further protect national na-tional interns without weakening vitally the league covenant. The result of their work was a group of four reservation relating re-lating to the powers of congress under or:K!e X, the Monroe docLrine, national (.oiitmi of domestic problems and the rlht oi withdrawal. SEVEN MAY HOLD BALANCE OF POWER. The seven who gave their assent to these reservations In the phraseology as agreed on were Senators McCumber, North Dakota, a member of the foreign r'.'lationn corn m It tee; McNary, Oregon ; Cummins. Iowa; Colt, Rhode Lsland; Len-root, Len-root, Wisconsin; Kellot;g. Minnesota, and Snencer. Missouri. Although the extent to which thf y will be hound by their atcreement was not revealed, it was declared de-clared thev realized fully that they mlnht hold the balance of power in any reservation reserva-tion vote and thus cut off any attempt for mori radical qualifications, as well ns p re vent un: eserved ratification. Their reservations are said to Include proposals made by Ta?t and Hughes. While those present at tho conference declined lor the present to discuss the proposals, the reservation to article X, It was said, set forth the fact that in fulfilling ful-filling that provision, decision as to declarations dec-larations of war plainly is reserved for congress. Another reservation recites the Monroe doctrine, while a third privilege is that control over all democratic matter-;, including coastwise shipping, canal tolls, immigration and the tariff, would be reserved hy this nation. The fourth reservation refers to withdrawal from the league, and gives the United States the sole right to determine whethr its obligations obli-gations under the leaguo have been fulfilled. ful-filled. OPEN NEGOTIATIONS WITH THE DEMOCRATS. Negotiations are understood to be already al-ready under way with Democratic senators sena-tors to induce the administration to accept ac-cept such a reservation program and from the attitude of President Wilson in his White house conferences some Xie-publicans Xie-publicans believe he will decide to accede ac-cede to the proposal. Most of the stipulations in the "McCumber- McNary reservations are declared de-clared by the administration leaders to be already covered in the present language lan-guage of the covenant, and it is understood under-stood they have announced the counterproposal counter-proposal that a separate resolution be adopted giving the senate's interpretation interpreta-tion of these points, so as to make renegotiation re-negotiation unnecessary. No agreement with administration senators sen-ators or with the president is expected, however, in the immediate future. The question is being discussed by Mr. Wilson Wil-son daily with his Republican callers arid it is understood he desires to be in possession pos-session of all the facts before he acts. One of those who saw him today, Senator Sena-tor New of Indiana, a Republican member mem-ber of the foreign relations committee, told him that "very material" amendments amend-ments or reservations would have to be accepted. Senator Keyes, New Hampshire, Hamp-shire, the other Republican who went to the White house, said he came away more firmly convinced than ever that there would be reservations. DEVELOPMENT SOON IN SHANTUNG AFFAIR. Although there was no word from the Whito house or the state department during tho day regarding the diplomatic tiisQussions with Tokio about Shantung, it was declared positively in other quarters quar-ters that a development was imminent. It was said It might take the form of a public avowal by Tokio of her secret understanding for return of Shantung to China or that President "Wilson might make a statement of his Information on tho subject. y - Criticism of the alien enemy provision of the treaty came out while the foreign relations committee was questioning Bradley Palmer, an adviser to the American Amer-ican peace delegation. Chairman Lodge and Senators Johnson, California; Fall, New Mexico, and Knox. Pennsylvania, all Republicans, took exception to the section, sec-tion, Mr. Lodge saying it seemed designed de-signed to place "beyond the pale" of legal proceedings any act of the alien property custodian's administration. The witness denied that the section would deprive of legal recourse any American citizen who had been a minority mi-nority stockholder in German concerns, declaring the provision was aimed only at enemies.. Fall Cites Controversy. Senator Pall cited the controversy over the property of the Bosch Magneto company, com-pany, saying -he treaty would "validate" every act of the custodian and prevent stockholders from taking legal action to rectify anv wronc that mierht havo been done in such cases. Bernard M. Baruch, another of the Versailles advisers, made a brief statement state-ment to the committee regarding preparation prepa-ration of the economic sections of the treaty and said he understood the question ques-tion whether the United States should have part of the Indemnity paid by Ger-manv Ger-manv still was undecided. "My back Is stiffer than ever for ratification ratifi-cation of the treaty with reservations," Senator Keyes, Republican, of New Hampshire, Hamp-shire, said today after a conference with President Wilson at the White house. Senator Keyes, who was one of the signers of the round robin of the league of nations circulated by Republican senators in the closing hours of the last congress, told the president he favored reservationH along the lines proposed by former President Taft. Charles E. Hughes and Elihu Root. Senator New of Indiana, Republican member of the foreign relations committee, commit-tee, said, after a visit to the White house today, 'that he had told tho president it would be "utterly Impossible to get the senate to accept the peace treaty as it stands," and that it either would be "ratified "rati-fied with reservations or fail." Senator New said he told the president he was utterly opposed to article X of the league of nations covenant. He added that, In reply to the president's statement state-ment that adoption of reservations by the senate might set a precedent for other nations, he had said that the question of reservations was one for the United States to decide regardless of the effect on other countries. |