The Greeneville daily sun. (Greeneville, Tenn.) 1918-1920, 1919-07-19
ON THE RIGHT TRACK

his share in composing the differences that separate
the two branches of the treatymakng power The next
sed toward ready acceptance by senators
of President Wilson's invitation to confer with him. The
full and frank meeting of minds will do the rest.
President Wilson has told the senate that the treaty
is not what any delegation would have drawn up if it
could have had its way 1t is necessarily compro-
miseand that is what the action of the American treaty
making power must be- The first function of the treaty
making power has been performed by cooperating with
other nations in formulating the treaty Now the second
function, that of reviewing the treaty and avoiding
collision with the Constitution and fixed policy of the
United States, must be performed.
The President, the treaty-negotiating power, was
stiff necked to prefer to home without
treaty rather than fail compel every nation to bend
to his will in every detail Now there should be mem
bers of the senate unyedng in their attitude as to
refuse to listen to the reasons which actuated the Pres
dent in his negotiations in Paris which resulted in the
agreement with which he returned to the United States
The people of the United States expect, and if
sary they will demand that the two branches of the
treaty making power bhaL cooperate and finish the
business in hand The people have pride of opinion
and are not committed to details. They not ex
tremists American history has shown and over
again that the vast majority of the people favor steady
and safe progress toward clearly defined goals Their
wishes made effective by adjustment and compromise
President Wilson has truly apprehended the public will
in this respect He reveal to the public the mat
tiers affecting foreign which prevented hin
from shaping perfect treaty from the American stand
point but he give this information to senators, who
share with him the power to make treaties He has made
compromises because he knows that the people expect
MIN to succeed and not to fail Now he is willing to
plain these subjects and it will not be his fault if the
Forthcoming conferences at the White House do not result
in the speedy ratification of the treaty
The Post has had occasion to suggest that President
Wilson should not be held too strictly to on the
delicate questions controlling the relations between the
United States and the league of nations. He accom-
plished amount of work in Paris. His time
was consumed by multitude of foreign questions. He
unsparngly to other nations his time and strength
When he home in March he took advantage of sew
era valuable suggestions which had been made for the
Improvement of the league covenant, and amendments
made accordingly. Now it urged by some states
men that several vitality important reservations must
made by the United States in its ratification of the peace
treaty These reservations are intended more clearly
to define the limitations under which the United States
can lend its aid to the plan which, it is hoped will keer
the nations in constant friendly conference for the pur
pose of preventing disputes from developing into wars
The work at Paris was done under high pressure and
with exasperatng distractions "Stones were gathering
on the roof and wild men were screaming through the
keyhole" Mr.. Lloyd Georges vivid description Of
the conditions at the peace conference In these crcum
stances it would have been miracle if the covenant of
the league of nations had covered every point and had
yet avoided every collision with the Constitution and
fixed policies fthe United States-a peculiar Constitu
ton and peculiar policies, different from those of any
other nation. Mr. Wilson did his best and his best !,
good. Now if the senate can show that the United
States must make certain conditions which were not fore
seen at Paris it is evident that Mr. Wilson will not stand
in the of perfecting the work in hand But he must
be shown for his heart is this business and he does not
mistake shadows for substance He is not budged by
personalities by abuse nor does he indulge in them
His attitude toward the has been correct although
he could have saved much time and effort if he had
placed experienced senators the peace delegation.
without regard to their party affiliations.
Senators should do their share in bringing the
treatymakng branches together in friendly council Let
all the ends they aim at be their country's and all will
be well-Washington Post.
German bondholders who must play second fiddle to
the indemnity are learning the meaning of the phrase
scraps of paper"