Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1919-08-20
ATORS GAIN INSIDE FACTS ON TREATY AT MEETING WITH PRESIDENT

league. That IL a contract between
the signatories. We say, 1--WE under
take to preserve the territorial in
tegrity of the members against ex-
ternal aggression" which means that
we contract to do it. does it not?
| The President: We engage to do it.
senator Brandegee:: 1t means an
international contract. does it not-a
compact, an agreement?
| The President: Yes.
| Senator Brandegee: Whether that
Is a moral or legal obligation, 1t is
an obligation.
| The President: Yes.
Senator Brandegee: OF course. 1t is
a moral duty to keep a promise. and
this is an international promise. so
that the distinction between a moral
| oD1gatfon and a legal one seems to
| me to be not of great Importance, be-
cause we are obligated in any event.
Seen as Greatly Important.
The President: Pardon me; 1 think
it is of the greatest Importance, be-
cause the element of judgment enters
into 1T as it does not in the other.
| Senator Brandegee: You mean that
Judgment as to whether or not it is a
moral obligation?
1 The President: No. For example,
you submit question of arbitration
and agree that the decision shall be
nnai; The judgment Of one Of the
parties to the controversy may be
that the decision is a very bad one.
put 1t has to accept it; the element of
judgment Is excluded altogether; but
with regard to the method Of fulfill
Ing obligations of covenant like
| that there is freedom Of Judgment on
| the part of the individual members Of
the league. 1t seems to me that
makes very considerable difference.
Senator Harding: Will the senator
permit me to interrupt right there?
Senator Rrandegee: 1 will.
Senator Harding: l dislike to in
| terrupt the senator
Senator Brandegee: / yield to the
senator.
Senator Harding: The President ex-
pressed a while ago surprise that I
| raised a question of the value of this
compact because Of the moral obli-
! cation feature. Let me premise by
the statement that 1 look upon a
moral obligation as that which the
| conscience of the contracting party
impels The conscience of any nation
! in Europe. for example, may be warp
ed by it's prejudices, racial, geograph-
| lcal and otherwise; If that be true
and any nation may put aside or ex-
| obligation in accepting any recon-
| mendation of the league, really what
do we get out OF this international
compact in the enforcement Of any
decree?
Get Worlds Opinion.
The President: We get the CENTER
opinion of the world expressed
through the authoritative organs Of
the responsible governments.
Senator Harding: Another question.
That is surrendering the suggestion
of moral obligation for this re-
public to the prejudices or necessi-
ties Of the nations of the old world.
The President: 1 do not understand
that we do surrender.
Senator Harding: Would you not un-
derstand a decree by the council to
be suggestion of this moral obliga-
ton?
The President: Certainly I would,
but we would have to concur in that
before it had any force Of any kind.
Senator Harding: Would it not be
quite as moral for this republic it,
self to determine its moral obliga-
tions?
The President: Undoubtedly, sena-
tor; but in the meantime the world
has not the knowledge before it that
there will be concerted action by all
the responsible governments of the
of the world. The minute you do
away. with that assurance to the
world you have reached the situation
which produced the German war.
Senator Harding: What becomes Of
our standing among. nations IL the
council fixes q moral obligation upon
us and we reject the Judgment of the
council as to the moral obligation?
Always Have to Concur.
The President: Pardon me If I re-
mind you that we always have to
concur in that.
Senator Harding: Precisely: but
they state what constitutes the moral
obligation. if we agree: but IL we do
not agree, then in the eyes of the
world we have rejected its Judgment
as to a moral obligation.
The President: Certainly; and
hold that we are at liberty to do that
il our moral judgment honestly diff
fers from the moral judgment of the
world.
Senator Harding: Then let us go
back to the original inquiry. What
permanent value is there then to this
compact?
The President: The greatest per-
manent value. senator. is the point
that nave raised. we are assuming
that the United States will not concur
in the general moral Judgment of the
world. In my opinion she generally
will. II 1t had been known that this
war was coming on her moral judg-
ment would have concurred with that
of the other governments of the world,
with that of the other peoples of the
world, and If Germany had known
that there was 9 possibility of that
sort Of concurrence she never would
have dared to do what she did. With
out such notice served on the powers
that may wish to repeat the folly that
Germany commenced there is no as
surance to the world that there will
be peace even for generation,
whereas il they know beforehand
that there will be that concert of
judgment there is the most tremen-
dous guaranty.
Senator Harding: But, Mr.. Pres
ident, nobody expressed our moral
obligation to enter into this war.
not?
Concurred in World Judgment.
The President: Certainly; it was
our concurrence in the judgment Of
the world.
Senator Harding. One Of the points
I am getting at. If can make it clear,
is the necessity of a written COM
pact for this republic to fulfill its
moral obligations to civilization.
The President: Senator. this repub-
lie, if interpret it rightly, does not
need a suggestion from any quarter
to fulfill its moral obligations.
Senator Harding: ! quite agree