Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1919-08-20
PRESIDENT DISCUSSES
TREATY WITH SENATORS
Declares Whole Task of Bringing Country Back to
Normal Condition of Life and Industry Awaits
Adoption of Peace Terms

danger of seeming to exclude those not
mentioned
The right of any sovereign State to
but no objection was made to making
I explicit. Indeed. soon as the
views expressed at the White House
mission. ii was at once conceded that
II was best not to leave the answer
tc so important Il question TO inference.
No proposal was made to set up any
tribunal 10 pass Judgment upon the
question whether "a Withdrawing ma
ton mad in fact fulfilled all it's in
ternationai obliSa lions and all it's
Obligations under the covenant" II
was recognized that question must he
left to be csoived by the conscience
OF the nation proposing to withdraw;
ana must say that it did not seem
To me worth while to propose uaat the
nruc!e be made more explicit because
| knew that the United States would
never itself propose TO withdraw from
the league II its conscience was not
enT,iire!y Clear as to the fulhliment OF
Eas never failed TO fulfill them and
never Will.
Article y. Not Doubtful.
Article y. is in no respect OF doubt
iu! meaning when read in the light OF
me covenant as whole. The council
OF the league can only advise upon the
means by which the obligations of that
great article arc TO be given effect to.
Unless the United States is u party TO
the policy or acton in question. her
own affirmative vote in tho council is
necessary before any advice can DC
given, for unanimous vote OF the
the trouble is hers anyhow. And the
unan imcuS vote of the council is only
advice in any case Each government
ing could have been made more clear
20 the conference than the rch, OF
our Congress under our Constitution to
exercise It's independent Judgment In
an matters Of peace and war. No at,
tempt was made 10 question or limit
that right The United States will in
deed undertake under Article y to re
spcCt and preserve as against external
aggression the territorial integrity and
existing political independence OF all
members Of tn. league and that on
ghsemcnt constitutes "A very grave and
solemn moral obligation. But it is :,
leaves our Congress absolutely free to
put it's own Interpretation upon /; in
all cases that call for action. II is
binding in conscience only not in la W
Article y seems to me to constitute
the very backbone Of the whole COW
enant without IL the league would be
ing society.
1t has several times been suggested
IN puolic and private conference. that
Interpretations OF the sense in which
the United States accents IN. enrspa
incnis OF the covenant should be en-,
,,ed IN the instrument of ratiCca-
tlon: Ilcrc can he no reasonable. OH
!ect!oh 70 such interpretations accom-
pahEinE the act of ratification. provided
80. ~ I'ot FORM part OF the formal
ratihcation itself. Most Of the intnr
pFctations which have been suggested
70 me cmDody what seems 10 me tho
ntaih meaning Of the instrument itself
nut II such interpretations should CON
sti'ute a pert OF the formal resoiu,jon
=, '",imnc;;tion long delays would be
~ inevitable consequences inaSrnIIcb :,
az nc many governments concerned
,"ouIu nave 10 accept. in effect ,ba
t"!cnaEe OF the Senate as 10 the Ian
euaSe OF the treaty befor. ratir,r.,;n-
mou!n DC complete. The assent ~ 10
itnan assembly at wcimar wonid
and 20 De ooiained, among the rest.
dnu must frankly say tina, conli
oh!E Win the greatest rcluctapcc .n
r.oacA mat assembly for pcrmission r.
80" me treaty as nc undcrs;and q,
f. -. nose VINO framed il quite Ger
~ INC United States were 70 ou,I,,r
sne document IN any way m0rc6vnr
n,, ["h nnrf from what ! know Of the
accompanied the forinuIation ~ mn
treaty. that our example wouI5 ine
heu!"te!y DC followed in many n,,.
.eLS. IN some instances with ya-,
meaning and absra,i =. and that the
n.alv would presently be clouded FROM
oic cno o! Its clauses 10 the other
iaEdon me. Mr.. Chairman, II ! hav,
sn"kG on n speaking OF the great matters
We al nave 50 much at hear, II az
cuS. rs needed. ! trust that the critical
:; ;, ..t 20, ION OF anaiTs may serve AS my
iesIy hang upon the conclusions OF
the senate with regard to peacr .rL
upon the time OF its acton are 81
grave and so clearly sceptiblc OF
mat | have felt IL necessary in the
pubic interest TO make this urccn,
ntth' ana 70 max" IL as simply and as
nnreservedly as possible.