The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-04-22
The Great Mystery OF Mr.. wilson's
Proposed Alliance with France.

The American newspaper correspon-
dents In Paris unanimously interpret
n statement authorized on Sunday by
President WILSON as establishing the
authenticity Of the report that. the
President has undertaken to commit
the United States to an agreement
with France under the terms of which
this country binds itself to protect
the French Republic in case it is
again attacked by Germany. This
statement Is recorded in a despatch
from Paris which was printed in The
Sun yesterday:
President WILSON to-day virtually
authorized a confirmation of reports
OF an alliance between the United
States and France by allowing his
spokesman to say that nothing would
be done that was contrary to the
principles Of the League of Nations.
This was authorized when state
ment was shown to the President
from the Motin asserting that the
alliance already was embodied in the
form Of brief stipulating that the
United States. Great Britain and
France would undertake mutually to
give assistance II Germany attacked
France again, and that this agree
ment would. be signed by the three
Powers here coincidentally with the
signing of the treaty Of peace.
The President does not believe
:, there will be any necessity for it after
= the League of Nations has acquired
stability
1t should he unnecessary to point
out that the President has no power
or authority to bind the United States
TO such an alliance. He may nego-
tate treaty of alliance with France
and Great Britain, or with any other
Power large or small, but that treaty
can have no force. or effect either in
side or outside the United States I'M
less and until the consent of the Sen
ate has been given to it by the proc
ess commonly known rs ratification.
The circumstance that the President
believes it would be merely tenn
porary expedient to safeguard another
Power until a league of nations as
yet uniformed acquired stability" is
matter of no consequence in the
premises.
The secrecy with which the Presi-
dent has surrounded this singular en-
terprise Of his self-directed diplomacy
obviously renders discussion of the
details Of his scheme impossible
There is, however, one thing which
must constantly be borne in mind
when the ultimate consequences of
this or any other proposed alliance
are under consideration. This Is the
fact that the Constitution reposes in
the Congress the exclusive power to
declare war. In this power the Chief
Executive has no share. The Presi-
dent cannot declare war, nor can he
compel the Congress to declare war.
Manifestly such an alliance as that
TO which the American correspondents
in Paris report Mr.. WILSON as having
given his adherence must be expressed
in q treaty, and that treaty must, TO
have any force, be approved by the
Senate. But even though such a treaty
were negotiated and ratified, the
power of the Congress to declare war
would be unimpaired by Its terms,
and how President WILSON can hope
or expect to pledge future Congresses
to make good the threat of war it
would inevitably and perpetually con-
vey Is a mystery as dark as some of
the other mysteries which mark the
course Of his approach to peace with
Germany.