Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1919-12-02

Ito carry on , pfopaS8n0A. IN the United States which Is
being supported by just such organizations as the Courier:
News.
TAFT ON THE TREATY SITUATION
No man in the United States has been more earnest
or MORE active in the promotion Of a great international
agreement for tho maintenance Of peace than has former
President Taft. President Wilson has often been de-
scrtbed as the originator Of the League OF Nations idea.
That is decidedly inaccurate Because Of the position in
which he found himself in q great world crisis, Mr.. VIII
son was given the opportunity to assist in putting into
form principles for whose recognition Mr.. Taft has been
leboring a%ssidiously for years.
The result of the effort which Mr.. Wilson put forth,
together with the statesmen Of other countries. isJseen
IN tho League OF Nations constitution, which is incor-i
porated in the treaty Of peace with Germany. 1t would
be nothing short Of miraculous II the compact thus reach
ed met the views, fully, Of any Of tho men who had a hand
In shaping it. It was submitted as a useful plan, the
best that could be reached under the circumstances. Mr..
Taft has pointed out features in It which he would have
amended If he could. But he has permitted neither his
party affiliations nor his own conceptions Of what would
be the best form for a League constitution to stand in
the way Of what he believed to be his duty. He has cham.
pioned tho treaty without amendment or reservation, and
at the same time he has counselled a policy Of Cancellation
ana moderation which would not permit the inclusion or
rejection OF non-essentials to stand in the way Of the sue.
cess Of one OF the most important reforms in the histor,
OF the world. Because Of the attitude which he has occu
pied. and because Of his known devotion to the cause o
world peace through world agreement, his comment Q,
tho existing situation becomes Of special interest. In
statement recently published, MI. Taft says:
"The votes In the senate on Wednesday demonstrate
that II the president had been willing to face the unpleas
ant fact that the treaty could not be ratified without res
esvattons and had given his permission to the Democrat
ic senator's to negotiate with the mild reservationists
among tho Republicans the supporters Of the treaty
could have formed q majority, controlled the parliament
airy situation and secured a ratification with reservations
much milder than those imposed by the solid Republican
vote. Mr.. Wilson could not charge Mr.. Lodge with re-
sponsibility for the situation. for 1t is Of his own making.
We may differ widely from Mr.. Lodge as to the necessity
or wisdom Of the reservations he insisted on and Of those
he voted for. ana we may critcise the evident hostility to
Mr.. Wilson that consciously or unconsciously affected
MI. Lodges attitude toward the treaty.
"But the colossal b1under was Mr.. wilson's in sup
posing that by a frontal attack he could reduce q plain
majority against the treaty OF q dozen or more votes into
q minority OF one-third Of the senate.
He persisted in hamstringing his supporters in the
senate. He required them to keep up the farce Of an
nouncins each day that the treaty must pass without the
crossing OF a t or the dothng Of an j, when everyone knew
that this was impossible. This drove the sincere support
es OF the League among the Republicans to seek a COM
promise with Mr.. Lodge and the foreign relations COM.
mittee. 1t produced delay. in which the bitter opponents
Of any league were able to rouse fractional support for
their stand.
Meantime the Democrats sat twirling their thumbs
and declaring that all opposition to the treaty as it was
would fade away. Only in the eleventh hour, when the
lines were tightly drawn was there any suggestion Of a
compromise by Democrats, and then Of a kind certain
to be rejected.
THE president wrote a letter, betrayinE a personal
elenen in his attitude toward the reservations, quite like
that attributed to Mr.. Lodge, and without any aid to
the situation in pointing out a possible line of compro-
mise.
THE world waits. Our allies are aghast at the re-
suit. They had accepted the bland and blind confidence
Of the president that the opposition would disappear like
mist before the sum-, and they have had a rude awaken.
ing. OF course. they now make a bold effort to 20 on
with the League, but facing their difficulties that have
grown much IN the long delay, they are in their hearts
sad and discouraged. It is probable that they would not.
have objected to the reservations. however much they
disliked them. and they would have soon forgotten most
OF them in the actual operation Of the League. I,
Ninety per cent Of tho value Of the League is left in
the treaty in spite Of the reservations. The presidents
statement that they nullfy the treaty is entirely unwar-
ranted. It IL . statement unfortunate both in It's lack Of
foundation and in the obstacle it forms to future compro-
mise
What is the prospect? Some twelve DAYS mus
elapse before congress convenes in regular session. sena-.
tos on both sides will have q chance to get = somewhat
different view OF the situation when at home. They viii
find q weartness over the delay and an overwhelming de-
mand that ~sonAthing be done OF a definite character.
They will find but little patience with a deadlock when
eighty senator's are for the treaty and a League and only
lstxty-four are needed to rattfy. When they come back
there ts reason to hope that, unless the president main
sAins his unreasonable position. : cornpronnise can be.
IsfNsctsd.
~ the decks are clearsd after wednesdays action,
the friends Of the Leasus may SIM hope that with public
pfsazurs for : settlement IN some form Of i treaty ana
~ Lsasas and with fonr-fifths OF the senate win. y,