The sun., 1919-10-23
They See 1t Slipping.


The minds of the supporters Of
President WILSON'S reiterated and un-
changed demand for the ratification
Of the interviewer treaty and covenant
precisely as he brought the document
home from Paris, that is to say, with
out the alteration of q single provi-
sion, single sentence or word or let
ter, must have been enlightened as to
the truth Of the situation when they
read the reservations in the McCum-
Der resolutions, now before the Com
mittee on Foreign Relations.
Senator McCUMBER is the type and
spokesman of the so-called mild reser-
yationists. He represents that body
Of treaty makers upon which have
rested the hopes Of Senator HITCH
COCK, for the President, and of Re-
publicans like ex-President TAFT, for
the League to Enforce Peace, and Of
the newspapers and citizens favoring
a general policy affecting our indie
pendence In Mr.. WILSON'S self-deter-
mined scheme for merging American
sovereignty In the supergovernment
for which he bargained when abroad.
Remember that 1t is not Senator
LODGE or Senator BoRAH or Senator
JOHNSON, but Senator McCUMBER, the
mild reservationist, who presents the
specifications of change and safe
guard which we now proceed to ex-
anime:
The first of this series of resolu-
tions of reservation provides that "the
United States shall be sole judge as
10 whether all it's international obli-
cations under the covenant have been
fulfilled" This refers to the provi-
sion In Article I. of the covenant con-
cerning withdrawal from the League
of Nations. THE SUN called attention
months ago to the absolute necessity
of a change which should make this
country, and not the other Powers,
the judge of whether we had fulfilled
our international obligations when we
decided to quit. Supposing We enter
the League at all, national self-respect
and every other imaginable ccnsidera-
tion forbid that we should by treaty
contract make over this supervision
OF our legal or moral conduct 10 other
Powers and impound ourselves until
they see fit to give us =. clean bill OF
health. This is obvious.
The second of the McCumber mild"
reservations Is drastic enough to suit
the most patriotic opponent Of ma.
tional -effacement. 1t takes the
heart out of Article X, which Mr.
WILSON has declared to be the key to
the whole scheme and essential to
the international project. Article X
as by him written binds us to 'pre-
serve as against external aggression
the territorial integrity and existing
political independence of all Members
of the League" The McCumber res
ervation declares that "the United
States assumes no obligation to pre-
serve the territorial integrity or po
lincal independence of any other coun
try or to interfere In controversies
between nations, whether Members Of
the League or not, under the provi
sions of Article X, or to employ tn,
military or naval forces Of the United
States under any article of the treaty
for any purpose, unless in any par
ticular case the Congress shall
by act or joint resolution so declare.
Months ago, again. THE SUN pointed
out the constitutional obstacle to tn,
surrender of the war making powel
of Congress 10 an alien council. Thii
"mild" reservation recognizes ant
meets that objection. 1t will also b,
observed that the cancellation Of an,
such odious and unthinkable delega
tion of the constitutional functions O
our legislative department to an in
ternational body controlled by foreIgl
votes is absolute and unqualified.
applies not only to interference a
League dictation by military an,
naval force but also to the proposes
obligation to employ economic pres
sure at the call Of the League for tn
preservation Of the territorial integ
.rity Of other Members. It make
clear that this weapon, like the mill
,tary weapon, shall remain where It 1
nov, that is, exclusively In the hand
of the American Congress.
The third McCumber reservation re
serves exclusively to the United State
s'the right to decide what question
are within Its domestic Jurisdiction.
and specifically declares that -all do
nestle and political questions relatin