The evening world., 1919-08-19

did that because I coveted the moral
advantage that that would give us in
the counsels OF the world"
REPATRIATION ron THE LUsI.
TANIA VEI TO nE DECIDED.
| Senator Mecumheri "pid that
mean We weuld claim notkinu
fer the sinkinn 81 the LusltsniA2
The Prssidenti Noh no. That
did not soysr questions Of that
The president added that pre- war
claims were not covered by the re-
paration clAuse. and said the Repara-
tion Commission would decide. He
repeated that American participation
In the reparations remained 20 be
decided by the commission.
Senator Lodge asked II there had
been any Recommendations by Amer
lean naval authorlties as TO whether
the United states should have one
OF the Ladrone. Caroline. OF Mar
shah l9lands for naval purposes.
The prosident-'There was q paper
on that subject. Senator, which has
been published. only partially re-
member H. IL was a paper laying
out the general necessities OF our
naval policy in the Pacific and the
necessity of having some base for
communication upon those islands
was mentioned. just IN what form
l do not remember"
Senator Lodge said that II seemed
that the treaty would give the iive
principal Allied and associated
powers the authority to make such
dlsposltlons as they saw At Of those
Islands" tFL
NO Bar TO cABLE STATION IN
THE PACIFIC.
Senator Lodes referred to the
secret treaty between Great Britain
and Japan regarding Bhantung and
said that In the correspondence re.
latinR to tho treaty Il was stated
/ that Great Britain should have the
German ISLANDS south Of the equa-
tor and Jabbn those north Of the
equator.
senator Lodge: "It st should seem
necessary for the safety OF communi.
cation for this country that we Ahould
have a cable station there, would that
secret treaty interiors with tt3"
The Presidents II think not, sir, In
view of the stipulation that made
with regard to the question of con-
structlon BY this cable convention.
That note OF the British ambassador
(r6garding the German islands), was
n part OF the displomatic correspond
ehce covering that subject"
Sonater borah then asked who
would paes on the question
under the withdrawal CLAUSE Of
the Leanue covenant, whistler q
nation had fulfilled lie intsrha.
tionAl obligations.
The Prssidenti "hohody."
Senator Borahi ~poSs the
council have anything to cay
about 1T"
me PRESIDENT "Nothins
whatever"
Senator Borshs Then IL
country should awe notice Of
withdrawal Il would be the sole
judge Of whether or not y had
fulfilled its internationsi sbIiga.
tiens, ne covenants 70 the
The President "This is as I
understand II. The only restrain
ina influences would Be The pdblie
opinion OF the world"
Senator Borah then asked whether.
when notice had been ~iven. the right
TO withdraw would be unconditional.
The President; We'll. when the
notice is given n 10 conditional on
the face OF the conscience of the
Withdrawing nation at the close or
the two-year period"
UNITED STATES ONLY BOUND
BV own SENSE or oBLloATloN.
Senator Borah: ANY moral obli-
Eation which the United States would
feel would be one arising from lite own
sense OF obligationT
The President: "Oh. certainly"
Senator Borah asked whether the
suggestion that the Council would
pass on such An obligation was er-
roneous. and the President replied:
"Yes, certainly"
In reply to Senator McCumber the
President repeated that he felt II
would be a mistake to embody inter-
pretations in the resolution OF ratifi-
cation. saying: we can Interpret only
moral obligation. The legal obh-
Eatlon can be enforced by such ma
| chinery as there Is 10 enforce IL. We
are therefore at liberty TO interpret
the sense in which we undertake a
moral obligation"
Senator Mccumber asked whether
the other nations could not accept
interpretations by the Senate by
acquiescence." r
The President; my experience as a
lawyer was not very long, but that
experience would teach me that the
Language OF a contract Is always part
OF the debatable matter. and oah
testify that in our discussions in the
copmission on the League OF Ma
tions We did not discuss ideas half
as much as de- discussed phraseoiogy. "
/ Senator Pittman; Germany has
not expressed herself to the COM
mission with regard 10 these moot
questions"
The President; mo. we have no ex.
preston from Germany about thF
league except the exprfsalon OF her
H."
Senator williams; "Mr. President
suppose for example that we adopted
a reservation, as the Senator from
Massachusetts calls II. and that Ger
many did nothing about II az all, and
afteTward contended that so far al
that was concerned, Il was new mat
ter, 10 which she was mover a party
Could her position be justinNbly dts
puted7"
The President: mo"
ONLY A MORAL OBLIGATION TO