The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1919-07-13
East Not Satisfied with League,
Would Ratify with Reservations
Balderston Sizing Up Seaboard Cities at Com
mencement of Countrywide Tour Finds Sus-
picion of Engagements Made by Wilson.
BY JOHN LLOYD BALDERsTON.

By JOHN LLOYD BALDERsTON.
Copyright. 1919. b. the Mcclure Newspaper
syndicateD
Representative opinion in the
great cities of the Eastern seaboard
is not at present friendly to the
league of nations covenant as ii
stands. 1t is more than critical Of
the foreign policy to which Presi-
dent Wilson committed this coun-
try, so far as he could, in Paris.
The United States would be the
monkey showed forward by willy old
Europe to pull Europe's chestnuts
cut Of the fire if the American Con-
Gress approved without change the
arrangements made by our delegates
on the other side.
This attitude I found to prevail
in Washington, Baltimore, Philadel-
phia, New York, and to a less ex-
tent, in Boston. My investigation in
these cities took place just before
the return of the President and
therefore cannot take into account
whatever effect his personal presence
and arguments may have in con-
vcrting men at this writing hostile
to his wishes.
In this story will be found the
point of view on these weighty mat
ILrs uf political Wal. ne ton, in -
far as it can be disentangled from
issues of domestic politics and
partisan prejudice; and I have also
invaded Wall Street and sought. the
big business" angle of vision and
communed as well with men of all
sorts and professions in the larger
cities, and tried by conversations in
trains to draw out the farmer and
the citizen of the smaller town.
Two General Conclusions.
Before going into details there are
one or two general conclusions to be
stated, because 1 found them common
to the average politician. financier.
business man and farmer in the East.
The United States ought not to walk
without prior examination into the
parlor prepared for it by the Euro
pean spider. If the peace treaty Is
ratified, as it must be, the league
covenant must be clarified in impor-
tant respects. Article 10, by which
the United States might be compelled
to night to defend boundary lines
drawn by the Versailles treaty. will
not do as it stands. Provision must
be made so shat We can get out OF
the league Of nations promptly, if we
so desire. The sanctity of the Mon
roe doctrine must be made more
clear, IT'S absolute divorce from any
foreign control more definitely stated
than In the vague phrase adopted In
Paris about regional understand
ings." The agreement with France,
that we will come to her help if she
is again attacked by Germany. should
be adopted, but America, and not the
league of nations, must decide. in
new war. who is the aggressor.
These are the views. on the main
issues of the moment, of most OF
those Fasteners who express opin-
ions at all. 1t surprised me that so
many men had given thought to our
foreign policy and had clean-cut opin-
ions on questions which Few months
ago had never occurred to them.
Many men. found. too. who frankly
admitted their ignorance about the
treaty, the covenant, the Russian
question. But in nearly all cases
these men who professed that they
had no views were suspicious of what
has been done in Paris.
Back Wilson to Limit.
Then there is a type of man, more
common, gather. in the country than
in the city. whose faith in Wilson re-
mains and who says, like a Massa-
chusetts farmer I met while going to
Boston, What Wilson says is gooo
enough for this country is good
enough for me-"
When l began my tour in Washing
ton l hoped to be able to discuss the
treaty. the covenant and our foreign
policy independently of home politics.
but this is impossible. Many Repub-
-licans in Washington are. undoubt-
eddy. animated by purely party mo-
tives in their insistence that the
league be rejectedA or that certain
amendments be adopted.
Lodge. Root and Knox have taken
up more definite positions than the
bulk of Republicans IN Washington
are now willing to assrme until the
trend of public opinion becomes more
manifest. How far Republican lead
ers are motived in their opposition
by craftsmanship. to what extent their
convictions are genuine, It Is difficuit
to say. Many Democrats. on the
other hand. evidently feel that il Is
matter Of party advantage to ram