The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-03-08

WILSON LEAGUERS
! SHOCKED BY TAFT
Former Presidents Stand for
Revision Of Covenant
Causes Dismay. =
ENDORSES CRITICS. VIEW
His Attitude Now Regarded as
Similar to That Of Lodge
and Knox.
ENDORSES CRITICS. VIEW
Special Despatch to TUE Sun.

WASHINGTON, March 7.--Dismay was
thrown into the ranks of President
Wilson's supporters here to-day when
they read the latest signed statement
by William II. Taft concerning the con-
stitution OF the League OF Nations
They found to their anna cement that Mr.
Taft. counted on as the Republican
champion of Mr.. Wilson's cherished
project had abandoned its wilsonian
sQuarely on record as indorsing the
stand of Senators Lodge. Knox and
other leading critics OF the covenant
II was quickly pointed out at the
Capitol that Senator Lodge, for example,
had never objected to the general idea
of League of Nations should this be
practicable, but that he had particularly
objected to the very "Wilsonian
features which Mr.. Taft now calmly
says must be eliminated.
Mr.. Taft's branding OF these features
as necessarily slated for the discard
caused much amusement except among
the Presidents faithful following 1t Is
not thought that Mr.. Taft Intentionally
sought to embarrass the President at
this time but that In making a detailed
analysis he could not in justice to him.
self avoid Endorsement OF basic features
OF the Lodge and Knox view.
Wilson stand Opposed.
Mr.. Taft in his statement begins by
asserting that the present covenant must
OF course be altered. This in itself Is
in direct contradiction to President Will
sons stand. The President before leav-
ing Paris with the completed covenant
in his pocket informed the various nrem-
bers of the league committee that
nothing whatever should be changed, -
there was good reason for every word
and every phrase precisely as 1t stood in
the instrument.
Mr.. Taft after admitting need Of
change says: Undoubtedly the covenant
needs revision. 1t Is not symmetrically
arranged : its meaning has to be dug out
and the language is ponderous and in
diplomatic patois.'
1t is pointed out at the Capitol that
this Is the essence of much of the criti-
cism Of the league plan. the chief Diff
ference being that leaders OF the oppo-
sition do not believe the covenant can be
revised satisfactorily while peace with
the enemy is being awaited to end
chaos and = uncertainty in Europe.
whereas Mr.. Taft Is more optimistic.
President Wilson. however. has never
limited that a single word needs revision,
and IN fact has deeply resented the
mere suggestion of any change.
Later Mr. Taft says the covenant
should be made more definite as to when
it's obligations should be terminated. IT
should he made more definite by larger
reservation of the Monroe Doctrine.
There are other ambiguous phrases. &c.
Crax OF situation.
The 'cruX of the situation, according
to many of the leagues opponents, is
that there can be no suitable adjust
ment between Americas sovereign
rights the Monroe Doctrine policy and
other features of the nations require
ments on the one hand and any such
covenant as Mr.. Wilson has brought
back from Europe on the other. Until
league plan meeting the objections ad-
vanced by men like Senators Lodge and
Knox can be formed the United States
should stay out OF It, they contend. Mr..
Taft virtually admits this, it Is clearly
shown.
Senator Lodge and Senator Knox and
others have all along contended that the
right kind of a League of Nations, VI
such can he had. would be beneficial "a
this country and to the world at large
Buy they have warned that TO produce
such a plan required perhaps years OF
effort and elaboration. Therefore they
have advocated peace with the enemy
hrst aad the framing OF league later
One of the basic terms Of the armi-
stice which ended the fighting last No
vembcr was that there should be
formed League of Nations. The Allies
all accepted this without reservation
Mr.. Lodge and Mr.. Knox and practi-
cally every one In Congress Endorsed the
idea, though they doubted whether Il
could be consummated In the mex
decade.
The astonishing feature which Presi
dent Wilson injected into the situation
II is explained, was the insistence upor
the formation of a league prior to peace
with the enemy, after which he left fol
Europe. intimating to all the world tina
this cherished plan. although mos
difficult human problem, was alread,
solved.
Belief I'm Europe.
II is recalled now how all Europ
believed the President had SOLVED tn
problem, though he gave no intimatioi
as to how he had done 1t. Later cam
the secret conferences in Paris AM
finally the deliberations of the com
mittee which was TO produce the magi
cure all.
When asked for an opinion on tn
prospects of the league Senator Lodge
although sceptical, declined TO common
becaitse of the possibility Uf-lrIe forra
ton OF league which did not surrende
sovereignty which did not sacrfic
American rights and otherwise entangl
the nation in the meshes that the genera
idea seemed TO imply But the Presi
dents friends said wait and see"
The covenant when 1t finally bios
eomed forth was not superhuman. bu
human. leaders OF the opposition say
and had all the hackneyed features @
similar plans discussed accidentally 10
years with few new ENHANCEMENT
making 1t worse.
Mr.. Taft's admission that the covenar
must be made over leaves the questio
OF League of Nations just about wher
Il was when President Wilson announce
his intention OF going abroad In the In
terest OF his plan for world peac,
Months OF valuable time in the mo:
critical period of the worlds hlstor
have therefore been virtually waste
and the world has had to pay til
penalty while peace with the enemy hs
been made more difficult. This Is I'll
view of the leaders OF the opposition
They say peace first and then devoi
the next fifty years II necessary TO II
problem which President Wilson prom
ised to solve magically with stroke {
the pen.