The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1919-08-20

Pressed for a more exact definition
by committee members who insisted
that the whole arrangement was "a
rope of sand" he asserted that on the
contrary he considered it as placing
the nations in IAN attitude of COM
radeship and protection" which would
compel respect for the principles Of
justice and liberty.
Meeting the committee in a round
table discussion in the East Room OK
the White House in contradiction to
the presidents of more than CEN
fury and with the whole nation is
tening through the medium of a relay
of public stenographers. the President
went into mxny of the details of the
peace negotiat tons and touched on ali
the Eotly debated questions which have
divided the Senate in its considera ton
of the peace treaty
Article 10 OF the covenant, suar-
anteeinG the Integrity of league
members against aggression. he
declared. would leave to each ma
fion complete freedom OF cnoirt
as TO the application of force.n
Even il the American representa-.
. tive ON the council Joined In
unanimous recommends ton for
military action. the final decision
Tor peace or war must rest. NO far
rs concerned the United states
with Congress. he said.
Whatever advice the council ga
under its authority TO take such az
ton as Is deemed appropriate" MI 4
also be deemed appropriate by ins
United States to be binding on TINS
government, he argued, though in TINS
background would be such a potca-
tial moral force that he doubted il Ms
nation would often decline TO act
AGREEMENT IN WRITING
The President revealed tbaf
.japan's promise to return Shantun.
/ province TO China was reduced T.
written form In the minutes of tn
peace conference. He asserted Ia
had every confidence that tn
promise would be carried out ana
told the senators 1t was .the be-,
that could be gotv out OF the ne
sotintions. Japan having give
notice she would withdraw from
the conference il her demands
were refused.
The American delegates, he said, had
tried to keep the nation free from obliga-
lions IN European affairs, $50 far as IL
was honorably possible to do So but he
assented that It might be necessary to
keep some American troops in the Rhine
district under the treaty for the next 1s
years. -
He declared the nation would be its
own sole judge whether its obligations
had been fulfilled under the disputed
withdrawal clause OF the league cove
nant; that purely domestic questions
were safe from the leagues intererence:
that the Monroe Doctrine was clearly
preserved
The league, the President explained.
was built on the plan of General SHUTS
of South Africa
Mr.. Wilson revealed that he had sug-
gested the United States take no part
OF the German reparstion bat had asked
that the conference reserve disposition
of the German Pacific island of zap on
a suggestion that it was needed for an
American naval station.
Some OF the senator's questions the
President declined to answer on the
ground of international policy How the
American delegates voted on Japan's pro-
posal for a racial equality clause in the
league covenant, he said. lie could not
disclose "n the interest of International
good standing" and fot the same reason,
he said, he could not go into the nego-
tations over the French frontier or give
the committee a copy of the record OF
URGES EARLY ACTION
Early action on the treaty was urged
in a statement by the President at the
outset of the conference, This was
necessary, he held. SO that a peace basis
might be reached and the other treaties
under negotiation now at Versailles were
being delayed until the world learned
what would happen to. the treaty with
Germany. He said he saw no reasonable
objection to Senate reservations. but
thought it unwise to incorporate them in
the ratification itself.
In replying to q long series OF ques-
tions by Senator Brandegee, republican.
Connecticut the President was led into
an exhaustive discussion of the CO.
mingling OF moral anC legal obligations
in treaties.
"a moral Obligation, said Mr. Wilson.
els of course superior to legal obliga-
ton. and II I may saw so. has greater
binding force In every moral obligation
there is an element OF Judgment: in a
LEGAL obligation there is no element OF
Judgment"
Senator Erandegee suggested there was
no important distinction. because we are
obligated in any event
~ think it is Of the greatest import
ance,' replied the President, because
the element Of Judgment enters into II.
..Rut am assuming rtqrned Mr.
Brandeeee, .ff the council shotld advise
! us TO DO a certain thing, and Con
gress refused to do it, and If evety other
nations representative assembly can do
the same thing. it seems TO me like
rope of sand and not an effective tribunal
which would result in promoting peace
1.-THE reason I do not agree with you,
Mr.. Wilson replied. lis that do not
think such a refusal would likely often
occur. | believe it would be only upon
the gravest grounds-and in case Con-
gress is right, I am indifferent to foreign
criticisms"
Senator Harding. republican, Ohio, sug-
gested there was no necessity Of a writ
ten compact for this republic to fulfill
its moral obligations to civilization to
which the President rejoined:
PROMISE STEADIES WORLD
Put il stead dies the whole world by its
promise beforehand that 1t will stand
tContinsed on Pare FourteeA.l 4