The Mellette County pioneer. [volume] (Wood, Mellette County, S.D.) 19??-1971, 1919-08-29
PRESIDENT DENIES
TREATY WAR PACT
Wilson Tells Senate Committee
Congress Only War Maker.
JAPAN WON'T RULE SHANTUNG
Tells Senators Tokyo Has Promised to
Give Up Any Sovereignty There
Asks Them to Interpret but
Not to Change Treaty.

nee at the White House unprecedent-
ed in American history, President VIII
son discussed the peace treaty with
the senate foreign relations commit
tee, answered questions put by sena-
tors and gave out Il s~tenographic
transcript Of the proceedings to- the
public.
Some Of the inside details of the
peace conference, how the League of
Nations covenant was drawn, and 9TH
er historic happenings were handed out
verbatim for the world to read, in con-
trast to the time-hOnOred procedure of
secrecy, presidential and senatorial
confidence"
Nothing approaching the conference
in that respect is recalled since George
Washington went to the senate to dis
cuss troubles with the Indians.
Urges Speedy Ratification.
Making a plea for ratification of the
wholly back to n peace basis, the pres
ident said he saw no reasonable OBJ
lection to the senate expressing its in
depreciation of the League of Nations
covenant SO long as those %interpreta-
tons did not actually become part of
the act of ratification.
If interpretations were part Of the
formal ratification, the president con
tended, long delays would follow, as
other governments would have to sac
cept in effect the language of the SEN
ate as the language Of the treaty be-
fore ratification would be complete
Most Of the interpretations, the presi-
dent said. seemed to him TO suggest
the "plain meaning of the instrument
ITSELF
Must Get u. S. Consent.
The much-diScuSSed article ten, the
president told the senator's. was not Of
doubtful Interpretation when read in
connection with the whole covenant.
The council, he said, could only lad
WISE" and as its action must be unani-
nous, the affirmative vote Of the Unit
ed States would be necessary for any
question affecting it.
Article sixteen, the president said,
provided that where there is a dispute
found TO be solely within the juriSdic-
tion Of II Of the parties, under inter
national law, the league council shall
so report and make no recommended
ton for its settlement. immigration,
tariffs and the like, the president said,
clearly came under that provision.
The plan for the league, finally sub
mitted in Paris, the president said, had
been built up first from Il plan drawn
by Il British committee headed by q
Mr.. Phillimore and later included ideas
from q plan drawn by General SHUTS.
From these and other discussions,
coupled with the presidents W ideas,
the league plan was made.
Own Redraft Not Submitted.
His own private redraft OF the Phil
limore plan, the president said. was
not submitted to the American peace
mission. He had seen Secretary Ian
sings proposals only informally.
The president said the United States
would have complete freedom of
choice as to the application of force
in carrying out article ten of the
league covenant.
The president told the committee
the league council would have moth
Ing whatever" to do with deciding
whether the United States had fulfilled
its obligations in case of withdrawal
from the league.
The conference was not held in the
blue room, as had been planned. the
president taking his visitors into the
east room, where they were seated
around q big table. Senator Lodge sat
next to the president.
Japan Won't Rule S~hantuno.
To q query as to what sovereignty
Japan retained in Shantung President
Wilson said:
"She has not retained sovereignty
over anything. | mean she has prom
ised not TO. Senator BOrah has asked
whether this understanding was oral
Or otherwise. l do not like to describe
the operation exactly if it is no per-
fCctly discreet. AS Il matter of fact,
this was technically oral, but literally
written and formulated and the form
ulation agreed upon"
President Wilson said he disagreed
with the opinion given the committee
by Secretary Lansing that japan
would have signed the treaty regard.
less of whether 1t contained the Shan.
tung provision.
when is the return (of Shantung
to China) TO be made?" asked Sena-
tor Johnson.
THAT was left undecided. but we
were assured at the time that II would
be as soon as possible"
did not the Japanese decline 70
fix any date?"
They did mt that time, yes; but I
think 1t is fair to them to say they
could not at that time say when II
would be-"
Senator New-~Mr. President. Joes
not this indefinite promise of Japan's
suggest the somewhat analogous case
Of England's occupation Of Malta? She
a occupied Malta for something like
q Century. I believe, under n very simi.