New-York tribune., 1919-06-25
Wilson May
Put Root Plan
Up to League
Belief Grows Among Sem
ators He Will Ask Ruling
by Council as TO Whether
Reservations Are Binding
By Carter Field
Netc York Tribune
Washington Bureau

Washington Bureau
WASHINGTON, June 24.-Belief
Tat President Wilson would at once
submit the Root reservations to the
council of the league of nations itself
and abide by the decision of the council
as to whether the reservations are
binding or not is disturbing many
Senators who otherwise would be whole
heartedly in favor of adopting the
Root plan.
Senator Fall, whose resolution for a
separate peace with Germany is pend
ing before the Foreign Relations Com
mttee, agrees with the ideas con-
tanned in the Root reservations, but in
talks with some of his colleagues, in
Guiding Senator Knox, and with ex-
Senator Root has expressed the opinion
that President Wilson would at once
submit the reservations to the league
council.
Senator Knox pointed out to-day
slight change in the Root reservati tions
tirely meet Senator Falls objections
and those of some other Senators who
, are for the spirit of the Root proposals
but fear that the reservation me hod
would not prove 6 sufficient protection
to the United States.
New Knox Suggestion
Mr.. Kno, suggests that if The reser-
vations resolution specified that the
States Senate should not be binding
until assent to the reservations had
been made by all of the sfgnatory
powers, there would be no doubt what
ever that the stipulations would al
ways protect the United States no mat
ter what international complications
might ensue.
This is step in advance of a pro-
posal made by Mr.. Root himself in his
letter to Senator Lodge, when after
saying he had no doubt as to the bind
ing effect of such reservations as he
proposed, he suggested that if any one
did doubt their validity it would be
possible to call on the stronger pow
ers with which the United States had
been associated in the war to express
their willingness or unwillingness to
have the United States enter the
league with those stipulations.
What happened to the reservations
which the State of Virginia made when
she entered the Union, is being men
toned by many of the Senators who
are worried over the efficacy of the
Root plan for protecting the United
States.
They point out that Virginia's reser-
vations even included the right of seces-
sion, but her reservations were later
Just SO much waste paper Similarly
they fear the Root reservations may
become a scrap of paper if the league
should insist on overriding the United
States on some point supposed to be
protected by one of them.
Root Would Safeguard 1t
"Mr. Root believes that the United
States would be amply safeguarded by
the mere reservations to the treaty,
said Mr.. Knox, when questioned about
this phase of the situation. 81 think
he is undoubtedly right, but if there
are any Senators who are disturbed
about the possibilities of these reserva
tions being ignored in the future,
should have no objection to including
a provision that the ratification of the
treaty does not become effective unit
all the signatory powers have assentet
to the entry Of the United States intt
the league with these reservations"
Mr.. Knox does not believe there is ,
sharp distinction between the amend
ment plan and the reservation plar
which many Senators have Gwelt upon
He does not think an amendment, a,
distinguished from a reservation-pro
vided in each case that the change in
wolves merely striking something out
and not adding new material-woul,
necessarily involve the reconvenine O
the peace conference.
automatically, therefore, Mr.. Kno.
believes that an amendment whicl
struck out Article K would have pre-
clsely the same effect and would re
suit in the same procedure, which
reservation providing that Article }
should not be binding on the Unite,
States would have.
While the dispute over procedur
goes forward. however, the strength
behind the ideas involved in the Roo
reservation seems to be steadily gain