New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-01-04

ranged on luc Slue OF elNutt pttilkNi'u'
either in war or in peace, but certainly
! should not care by any vote Of mine
TO have my action misinterpreted.
81 do not wish TO be put in that false
position. | do not want TO be ranged
In peace negotiations or to have tee
country ranged on the side OF "a
Allies, and / certainly do not want =
70 be ranged on the side Of Germany
Mr.. Lodge next proceeded to a dis.
cussion Of the now famous verge OF
war" explanation Of the Secretary OF
State, which was given to the news
papers as supplement TO the note
and which raised such hsvoc in the
stock market. At the sRme time he
discussed the quickly following *
PLANTATION of the explanation or semi
rctraCtion.
he declared his belief that the Sec
Rotary Of State spoke with the apProba-
ton Of the Executive on both occasions
and the same explanation had been
made 20 representatives OF foreign
mowers in Washington. Later o!
course. both statements Of the Secte-
tary OF State were cabled abroad. Mt
Lodge continued: 49,.
when we indorse this note in this
general and sweeping way and approve
II without any reservation whatever u
is well TO know just what II means. ~
appeared on December y, and cary
on that same Gay II received lts nFs'
explanation. 2 he first Endorsement was
written upon IL by Che Secretary o.
State (the verge Of war statement J.
That appeared almost Immediately
after the Presidents note. II It had
sny purpose and ! believe IT had; MI
Lansing is a most accomplished inter
national lawyer and he is man OF dls-
erection; he certainly would not nave
made this statement without purpose
and without appreciation from the Tx
ecutive-if that statement IS correct
and that interprets the note Alright, the
whole note becomes perfectly simple
Lansing Recalls His Words
That was the first statement. Al
most Immediately the same evening
the second explanation appeared. MI
Iansine's statement that he did not IN
tend to intimate that this government
was considering any change in its pol
icy."1 How far that changes the char
scter or meaning Of the first eNplana-
ton leave 1t TO others more ingenious
than ! am to determine
Senator Lodge then proceeded 10
what he termed the third explanation
Of the note. which was semi-otfcial
statement sent out by the Associated
Press and printed in newspapers
throughout the United States on De-
cember "a. The greater part Of that
story was a defence Of the Presidents
action in asking the belligerents TO
name their terms Of peace. But the
highly significant part significant be
cause the story was sent out by
authority came in the conclusion, as
follows:
1T is the Administration view that
the country can be committed TO an
abandonment Of the policy Of isolation,
much as President Monroe committed
Il 10 the Monroe Doctrine, without
Senate action. In the plan 50 far con
templated. however, it is probable the
nations would be bound by treaty
agreements which would necessarily
have to be ratified by the Senate, so
far as the United States is concerned"
Senator Lodge continued:
81 merely want to call attention 10
the fact that this is the third eXplana-
ton OF the note issuing from official