The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-04-10

equally applies to, and qualities. AMI
modifles the enga gements OF the United
States with respect to the provisions
Of every one Of the fifteen conventions
which our Government has ratified.
For that reservation was funda-
mental declaration Of our attitude
with regard to participation In any or
all of the engn gements Of The Hague;
and It could not apply to Convention
I. without applying with equal force
to Convention V. or any other conven-
tlon Of the series. II was not neces-
sary to repeat the language of the
reservation over and ovrf again. Once
declared, II covered the whole case.
This will be obvious to Mr.. BRIN-
TON, we think. II he turns TO Mr..
FREDERICK w. IIoLrs's explanation Of
the broad significance Of the original
enunciation OF the Monroe Doctrine
in precisely this same form at the
first conference at The Hague:
THE declaration was presented in the
full session OF the conference on July
IS t1sos1. read by the Secretary OF the
Conference. and unanimously directed
20 be spread upon the minutes and added
to the convention BY a reference oppo-
site tho signatures OF tho American
Plenipotcntaries.
Tho Importance OF this proceeding
10 far as tho United States Of America
IL concerned will readily be seem
Never before tina, day had the Monroe
Doctrine been off,cially communicated
to the representatives Of all tho great
Powers. and never before was II re-
ceived with all the consent implied by a
cordial acuuiescence and the immediate
and unanimous adoption of tho treaty
upon that condition. An express &C.
ceptance or recognition WAS, OF course.
impossible. but there can be no doubt
that the declaration. as presented, con-
stitutes binding notice upon every
Power represented at the conference, for
ever estopping them from thereafter
quoting the treaty to the United States
Government in . sense contrary to the
declaration itself"
II was in this sense. and under this
reserve, that every convention of
either the first or the second confer
ence at The Hague has been signed
by the American delegates or ratified
by the United States Government. 1t
was in this sense that President
ROOSEVELT. in his annual message of
1901. declared that this same peace
conference lat The Haguel acquiesced
In our statement Of the Monroe Doc.
trine as compa tible with the purposes
and aims Of the conference" That
Is to say. the United States Govern
ment engaged itself to no procedure
involving a departure from its "tra-
ditional policy Of not intrudins upon.
Interfering with or entangllng itself
in the political questions or policy or
internal administration OF any for.
eign Stately the assumption OF di-
rect responsibility. for example, as
coguarantor OF the neutrality and IN
dependence Of Belgium.
Mr.. l.. r. WHITrrMoRE writes from
Harrington. Maine:
when our delegates 10 the Hague
Convention ratified. on behalf OF the
United States. they definitely put uA on
record In regard TO the duties OF bel
llgerents toward neutrals. Colonel
ROOSEVELT has said nothing of con-
trac, obligation on the par, OF tho United
States TO enforce the provision. II he
We should now, by rights. be lighting
beside England. But since wo signed
Convention v, We are morally bound
to protest against any infringement Of
this pledge though we would not be
justified in interfering by force"
What Colonel ROOSEVELT did was
to accuse the Wilson Administration
Of either cowardice or hypocrisy" Ia
opposing the universal peace treaties
while not daring 10 demand the en-.
forccmenf of the Hague conventions"
/ ne SIpht VI tHc ldIIule VI Mt>sTS
WILSON and BRYAN to do their duty
to humanity and to carry out the
obligations Of this nation In the ca So
Of Belgium" He declared that IL was
the duty" of the United States lem.
phatically and in practical shape, to
try 10 see that Belglums wrongs are
redressed." He remarked that "trcat-
les are worse than worthless unless
fulfilled; for treaty is only prom.
Use, and II Is far better never to make
promise than lightly TO make II and
lightly TO break it," What THE Sun
has been trying TO show is that the
United States Government has broken
no treaty engagement.
There remains the letter Of one
correspondent who refers directly To
the axiom Of morality last quoted
from the distinguished Coloncl's ar
! ticlc in the Metropolitan magazine:
"Allow me to congratulate you on tho
excellent article entitled Where Colo
mel ROOSEVELT Is Wrong You have
taken up his statements one by one
and In all instances seem To have re.
futed his arguments. There Is, however.
one statement which THE SUN seems to
have overlooked and which requires .
lot OF explanation on the Colonels part.
| | COPY exactly n treaty Is only a