The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1919-08-19
STATES EUROPE FACES DANGER GREATER THAN
 CONFLICT NOW ENDED

United States is a party to the policy or action in question, her own affirm ative vote in the council Is necessary before any advice can be given, for g. unanimous vote of council is requir- ed. If she is O party, the trouble is hers anyhow. And the unanimous vote of the council is only advice in any case. Each government Is free to reject 1t if it pleases. Nothing could have been made more clear to the conference than the right of our Congress under our constitution to exercise it's independent Judgment in all matters of peace and war. No attempt was made to question or limit that right. The United States will, indeed, undertake under Article Ten to respect and preserve as against external aggression the ter ritCrial integrity and existing political independence of all members of the league" and that engagement con- stitUtes a very grave and solemn moral obligation But 1t is a moral, not a legal obligation, and leaves cur Congress absolutely free to put its own interpretation upon it in all cases that call for action IL is bind ing in conscience only, not in law.
 Article Ten is to me to constitute tho very backbone of the whole cove nant. Without it the league would bo hardly more than an influential debating society,""
 There can be no reasonable objec- ton to such interpretations accom- panying the act of ratification provid- ed they do not form a part of the formal ratification itself. Most of the interpretations which have been suggested to me embody what seems to me the plain meaning of the in strumcnt itself But if such inter- pretations should constitute a part of the formal reason of ratification long delays will be the inevitable conse- qucncc. inasmuch as all the many governments concerned would have to accept, in effect, the language of the Senate as the language of the treaty ratification would be com plete
 "The assent of the German assem- bly, at weimar would have to be ob- taincd among the rest. and I mus; frankly say that I could, only with the greatest reluctance approach that assembly for permission to read the treaty as we understand it and ag those who framed it quite certainly understood it. If the United States were to qualify the document in any way. moreover. I am confident from what I know of the many conferences and debates which accompanied the formulation of the treaty that our example would immediately be fol- lowed in many quarters, in some in stances with very serious reservations and that the meaning and operative force of the treaty would presently be Clouded from one end of it's clauses to the other.
 Pardon mo, Mir. Chairman, if I have been entirely unreserved and plain spoken in speaking of the great matters we all have so much at heart If excuse is needed, I trust that the critical situation of affairs may serve as my justification. The issues that m1nifcstly hang upon the conclusion. of the Senate with regard to peace and | upon the time of it's action are SC i grave and so clearly insusccptfble ot i being thrust on one side or postponed ! that I have felt it necessary in the public interest to make this urgen 1 plea. and to make 1t as simply and a: i unroservedly as possible.
 | After the President had delivered | HIS Gl8ltlllenL, senator IEOuSe SttlN-
 Mir President. so far as I am per- sorally couCcrned---and I think ! represent perhaps the majority of tho committee in that reepect---we have no thought of entering upon argu. mouts as to interpretations or point: Of that character: but the Committc, was very dcsirous of getting informa l ton on certain points which seem no clear and which they thought infor mat;on would be of value to have fl consideration of the treaty whicl :hcv. I think I may say for mysel and others. desire to hasten in ever! lpOSziAlC way.
 Your reference to the necessity O ! acGon leads me to ask one question 1f VIC have to restore peace to tn world, it is necessary, I assume, tha ] there should be treaties with Aus tria. Hungary. Turkey and Bulgaria ! Those treaties are all more or les 1 connected with the treaty with Ger
 many. Tho question I should like q ask fs what are tho prospects of re ! cciv ing those treaties for action?
 Tho President: I think it Is yer good. sir. and SO far as can judg from the contents of the despatche from my colleag gues on the other sid of the water. the chief delay is du to the uncertainty as to what is goin 10 happen to this treaty. This treat la a model of the others. I say enough of the others before I lief Paris to know that they are bein framed upon the same set of prin cipies and that the treaty with Ger many is the model. I think that chief element of delay. sir.
 Senator Lodge: They are not re garded as essential to the considera ton of this treaty?
 The President: They are not re
 garded as such. no sir; they follow this treaty.
 Senator Lodge: do not knov about the other treaties, but tn
 treaty with Poland. as an example
 has been completed?
 The President: Yes and signed
 but 1t is dependent upon this treaty
 My thought was to submit 1t upon tn action on this treaty.