New-York tribune., 1919-03-29
MIR. Taft Also Tries His Hand

thortatlve information that Mr.. Taft,
at the request Of the President, has
cabled four important amendments to
the so-called covenant of the league of
nations. The President is not formally
committed to their acceptance, but it is
understood that he approves of them in
principle.
Thus ends one chapter. When the
President, bearing the sacred instru-
ment, made his hurried return, speaking
at Boston and discussing a public ques-
tion at private dinner, the document
was presented as practically unamend-
able-to be humbly received as written.
When Senators criticised, the President
flew into something akin to q rage. The
constitutional convention, he held, had
met and adjourned. He attacked his
critics as blind and visionless. He
openly threatened SO to intertwine his
project with the peace treaty proper as
to make separate consideration impos-
sible.
A change of mind is now revealed.
Mr.. Taft's advice is asked for, and Mr..
Taft responds by forwarding amend
ments in many respects identical with
the Lodge Hughes amendments. The
Monroe Doctrine is to be recognized;
domestic matters are to be left, as now,
within national jurisdiction; in the ex-
ecutive council there must be unanimity
to pass anything; the agreement, so far
as there is one, is to be limited in time,
perhaps, to ten years, with a provision
for withdrawal.
The Taft amendments are thus in
substance the Lodge Hughes amend
ments. There is a surface difference as
to Article X, which freezes the status
quo of the world by mutual guarantees
Of territorial integrity; but the differ
ence is nominal rather than actual. If
unanimity must precede action, if any
delegate can prevent the doing of any,
thing by voting "No," the guarantee is
barren. Any nation would, of course,
vote in the negative if disciplinary ac-
ton against it were proposed, and then
there would be no discipline.
Moreover, in connection with Article
X, Mr.. Taft has developed the cxtraor-
dinary doctrine that the covenant cre-
ates no legal or moral obligation TO
act. In any particular case should this
country refuse to proceed no breach Of
faith would occur, for it was to be pre-
sumed that all other nations took notice
Of the limitations Of our Constitution.
and thus knew in advance that we had
pledged ourselves to nothing. This
obviously reduces Article x, as we'll as
the remainder Of the covenant, to a
nullity, with an obligation not even
tfickwlckian. 1t is as if man, having
agreed to pay dollar, should say when
demand came "My dear fellow. YOU
knew did not have dollar; hence no
duty rests on me to pay"
Mr. Taft, the excellence of whose in
tentions is commonly admitted. but
whose habit to mix himself up is
severe trial to his admirers is the head
Oh a League to Enforce Peace; not to
secommend peace, or to talk of ifs
oeautics or to act in concert If sncb
~ pieasing when war threatens. but 70
ENFORCE It, His platform demands an
international supreme court 10 doc;do
justiciable questions, with a constable ~
enforce its judgments; an internat;ona1
parliament TO enact international larys
ana 10 provide means to compel their
acceptance, and an international ~
ecufs'e, with police force army at ;ts
command, able to require obedience n
judgments and laws.
NO man mas more earnestly said these
things were the minima of leaguc ~
peace worth the name. No man bas
been more emphatic in declaring that
harm, rather than good, would be done
ny accepting sham league. No man
has more candidly recognized that the
very nature Of the peace problem re-
guired a setting up Of superstatc, With
jurisdiction necessarily subtracting
from national sovereignty. Now Mr..
Taft, making gomersault, not only
safows tho weight Of hissinaucnce for