New-York tribune., 1919-07-29
NelU Reservations
Offered by Hughes

WASHINGTON, July 28.-In a let
ter to Senator Hale, of Maine, made
public to-day, Charles E. Hughes, for
mer justice of the United States Su-
preme Court and Republican candi-
date for President in 1916, offers the
form of resolution under which, he
says, the peace treaty could be ratified
with safeguarding reservations re-
garding the league of nations covenant
without requiring the peace conference
in Paris to resume deliberations.
Mr.. Hughes suggests four reserva-
tions. They are:
FIRST, that on giving two years.
notice of its intention to withdraw
from the league, a power shall
cease to be a member or subject to
obligations of the covenant at the
time specified in the notice, but
such withdrawal shall not release
that power from debt or liability
heretofore incurred.
SECOND, that questions such aa
immigration or import duties, which
are solely within domestic jurisdic-
tion, shall not be submitted for con-
sideration or action by the league
THIRD, that the United States
shall not relinquish it's traditional
o1eAIuUo tOWdIU purely american
questions under the Monroe Doc
trine. which shall not be subject to
jurisdiction of the league, leaving
this country free to oppose acquisi-
tion by any non-Ame erican country
of territory in the western hemis-
phere.
FOURTH, that under Article K the
United States shall assume no OBJ
fn %o1,
expedition or employ its armed
forces on land or sea unless such
action is authorized by Congress.
Wants Pact Clarified
The first two reservations are pro.
posed to clarity antiquities in Arti-
cles and XIV, dealing with Withdrawals
from the league and questions of do
mestic nature. The others are de-
signed to remedy the inaccuracies of
the article relating to the Monroe Doc
trine and emphasize the position of
this country with reference to Article
K. which he characterizes as a trouble
breeder.
With these reservations. Mr. Hughes
sees no reason why senatorial sane
tion should not be accorded the league
Of nations, the need of which, he says,
is plain, and the objects of which can
be attained without endangering the
material interests of the United States,
provided the reservations are incor-
porated in the instrument ratifying the
treaty of peace and the league cove
nant as whole.
Senator Hale's Letter
Mr.. Hughes's letter, was in response
to communication from Senator Hale.
The correspondence follows. Senator
Hale wrote:
My Dear Judge Hughes: Many of
us in the Senate are in favor of hav-
ing the United States enter a league
of nations, provided that in doing
so we do not sacrifice the sovereign
ty or traditional policies of our coun-
try. We believe that the proposed
covenant for league of nations in
the peace treaty now before the Sem
ate does make such a sacrifice.
Rather than take the covenant as it
now stands, am very certain that
considerably more than one-third Gf
the Senate would refuse to ratify the
treaty altogether. AS far as I am
personally concerned, I do not want
to see this happen, and l do want to
see some plan devised whereby the
United States may safely enter the
league Of nations.
1t has seemed to some of US that
this result could Best be accom-
plished by attaching certain rescrva-
tions to the proposed covenant which
would limit the participation by the
United States in the league. l shall
be. very glad if you will give me your
opinion as to the validity Of such
reservations and also as to what res
ervations in your judgment should
be made to safeguard the interests Of
our country.
Mr.. Hughes's Reply
Mr.. Hughes replied:
My Dear Senator Hale:
am in receipt Of your letter of