The Birmingham age-herald., 1919-12-20

From the Louisville Courier-Journal.. N ENAToR UNDERwOODS posi- IN tion on the treaty is neither tCS surrender nor revolt It is the position of a statesman of vision and patriotism; it reflects a spirit of con ciliation with a kick in it. Far from being a shift prejudicial to the treaty, it is rather a maneuver in the treaty's behalf
 l The Alabama senator emphasizes his Approval, now as before, of the treaty unmodified and unqualified, abatng not one jot his zeal for the convention as it stands But he realizes the perh to his country of a prolongation of the existing deadlock, with it's attendant turmoil, uncertainty and distress Rati- fication without any qualifications to which the treaty's enemies may point with pride" has been proved hopeless through the sheer and unansweraoie force of senatorial votes. Likewise, ,'senator Lodges nullifying reservations are impossible of passage. Yet. the rec ords show more than two-thirds vote lin the Senate for ratification in some form.
 Stubborn, implacab1e rigidity on the mart of the Lodge-Borah reservationists would keep the treaty suspended In air' with definite peace long way off de- spite the readiness of a sufficient mum
 Der of senators to vote for ratification and for the peace for which the eco homie life of the United States hungers Therefore, Senator Underwood adopts as a next step a proposal for mild res- eryations: failing these, he favors ap- proving the treaty, eliminating the League of Nations for the present and lpermitting this feature to be the prln- cipal campaign issue for popular de- termination in next years political campaign
 At first blush Senator Underwood's proposal appears startling to the cham pions of the league. Analysed, it Is a master stroke in behalf of settlement of a disagreement which has descended to the level of national scandal. It is more than that. It is two-edged bsword, with an edge both to cut way to peace and to cut a path through the ranks of the opposition. It is as
 shrewd piece of strategy. with all It's breadth of view, as has been exhibited in the Senate
 Despite Senator Lodges recent de- mand that the subject be the principal 4 fa Senator Knox's authorship of the sug- gestion which Senator Underwood adopts as last resort. the republicans
 as a whole are not eager to gamble for the presidency next year on any such issue. Senator Underwood's will !ingness to accept the challenge will not start them bursting into anthems of delirious joy. It is easy to contemplate some of them now, smuggling in the
 cloakrooms and whispering in alarm over the very intimation of such a cam paign issue. So the stratagem of Sem ator Underwood, which he had sprung
 with undoubted sincerity of purpose and unquestionable resolution to pur-
 sue becomes clear. As it becomes clear.
 it's ingenuity becomes impressive.
 The senator's position in no wise
 compromises the attitude of President
 Wilson as he lucidly explains. The
 Presidents statement of Sunday was
 notice that the chief executive had no concessions to make, and that he would leave full responsibility for the pres ent state of affairs with the majority
 party of the Senate. Naturally, the President. who submitted the treaty had no intention of initiating efforts to compromise the terms of docu- ment which he. with other representa-
 tives of sundry governments, solemnly
 signed in Paris. There was the treaty;
 the senate might take it or not his iwork on the convention was at the , peace conference. not Washington.
 The Courier-Journal. like Senator Underwood, believes it a national blow that the treaty was not ratified as
 drawn; that the league is necessary
 part of the machinery for the enforce ment of the terms and conditions dic- tated to a defeated and sulking Ger many; that 1t is. indeed, an indispen.
 sable mechanism for the mitigation of . the menace of future wafs.
 We relinquish none of our faith in
 the treaty and the league. But Senator
 Underwood's proposals have the prom ise of hastening the day of peace; they
 open way to ratification without