Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1919-07-28
HUGHESSEES
LEAGUE REAL
WORLD NEED
Cites a Way to Make
Changes and Shift
Blame.

Washington, July 2S.-A number
J of reservations to the League of
/ Nations covenant have been sug-
gested by Charles Evans Hughes
/ of New York, in an open lettar
transmitted, under date of July "a,
to Senator Frederick Hale, of
Maine. The opinion, as shown by
1 the correspondence made public
here today, was sought by the SEN
ator in a letter of July Is. The
senator wrote that he felt certain
that considerably more than one
third of the senate would refuse to
4 ratify the peace treaty with the
covenant as it now stands, but that
| he personally did not want to see
that happen.
He asked for an opinion as to the
validity of reservations to the
! league covenant and as to what
those reservations should be.
Admits Need of League.
There is plain need for a
League of Nations" Mr.. Hughes
wrote in reply, 'in order to provide
for the adequate development Of in
ternational law, for creating and
maintaining organs of national jus
tice, and the machinery of concilia-
tion and conference, and for Civ
ing effect to measures of interna
tional cooperation which from
time to time may be agreed upon.
Il perceive no reason why these
objects can not be obtained with
out sacrificing the essential inter
ests of the United States. There is
a middle ground between aIoofness
and injurious commitments.
II think that the presidents
course is to enter the proposed
league with reservations of a rea
sonable character, adequate to our
security, which should meet ready
assent, and thus to establish con-
dition of amity at the earliest pos
sible moment" :"
Shows Way to Shift Blame.
Reservations would be ineffec-
tual unless they constitute a part
of the instrument of ratification.
"If the senate should adopt res
ervations by a majority vote" the
letter continued, Il assume that
these will be made a part of the
proposed resolution of assent to the
treaty, and the question will then
be whether the senate will give its
assent, with these reservations, by
the requisite two-thirds vote. If
the proposed reservations are re-
fused, the responsibility of the de-
feat of the treaty, if it is defeated, |
will lie with those who refuse to /
vote essential to the assent. If the
senate gives its assent to the /
treaty. with reservations, the con- |
currence of the president will still !
be necessary, as ratification will |
not be complete without his action,
and the responsibility for refusal |
to give the ratification with the
as adopted by the SEN
ate as a part of the instrument of !
would thus lie with the
president"
In case of ratification with reser-
vations, the other parties to the
treaty would be notified, he con-
tinued. AS a contract the treaty
would bind only those who consent
to it
Gives Plan for Reservations.
After outlining his opinions on
various articles of the covenant,
Mr.. Hughes wrote that reserva-
tons and interpretations might be
in some such form as the follow
ing:
THE senate of the United
States of America advises and con-
sents to the ratification of said
.reaty with the following reserva-
ions and understanding as to its
Interpretation and effect to be
made a part of the instrument of
First: That whenever two years
lotice of withdrawal from the
league of Nations has been given,
Is provided in article 1 of the cove
lant, the power giving the notice
;hall cease to be a member of the
eague or subject to the obligations /.
If the covenant of the league, at
he time specified in the notice, ,,
any claim, charge
IT finding of the non-fulfillment of !
my international obligation or of
my obligation under said cove
lant. provided, however, that such {
shall not release the
lower from any debt or liability
hereby incurred.
Second: That questions relating
AAuHA4SA dlAOAs VI IuS IApOSillOH =
f duties on imports where such
do not arise out of any
engagement, are
uestions of domestic policy. and c
nese and any other questions, Z
Thich according to international ]
aw are solely within the domestic l
are not to be submit B
ed for the consideration or action t
( the League of Nations or any of
IS agencies. q
Would Define Dctrine.
Third: That the meaning of ar
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