The evening world., 1919-08-19


Council shall 80 report. and shall
make no recommendation as 20 It's
settlement
"Ths United States was BY no
means the only oovarnmont in
torostod IN the explicit adoption
Of this provision, and thore is no
doubt " the mind Of any authori.
] tative student o. international
law that such matter AZ imminrn-
tIon, tariff and nsturallEstlon
arb inoontestably domestic ques.
tione with which no Intern ationai
body could deul without express
authority 70 do 90. No enumera-
tiop Of domestic questions was
undertaken beoauss to undertake
, n, even BY sample, would have
3 involved the danger Of seeming 70
exclude thoss not Hasntioned.
RIGHT OF WITHDRAWAL EN.
PLIcITLY PROVIDED FoR. !
The right Of any sovereign state
10 withdraw had been taken for
granted, but no objection was made
to making II explicit. Indeed, 20
noon as the views expressed at the
White House conference were laid be-
fore the Commission II was at once
conceded that Il was best not 10 leave
the answer 10 30 important question
to inference. No proposal was made
to set up any tribunal TO pass judg-
ment upon the question whether n
withdrawing nation had In fact full
hIled all international obligations
and all Its obligations under the
covenant tt.
'It was recognized that that
question must be left TO be re-
solved by the .eonsoienee Of the
nation proposing 70 withdraw,
and ! must say that y did not
pose that the article be made
moro explicit, because know
that the United States would
never itself propOSO to withdraw
from the League II It's con-
science was not entirely clear a.
70 the fulflment Of all its inter
national obliaations. u has never
failed to fulfil them and never
will.
ARTICLE X. Ia in no respect Of
doubtful meaning when read In the
light OF the covenant ns n whole.
The Council OF the League can only
advise upon the means by which
the obligations OF that great article
arc to be given effect TO. Unless the
United States is n party 20 the policy
or action In question. her own at
firmative vote In the council In neces-
sary before any advice can be given.
for a unanimous vote OF tho council
IL required II she is n party. the
trouble is hers anyhow. And the
unanimous vote OF the council In only
advice in any case. Each Govern
ment Ia free to keject II II II pleases-
"Nothinu could have boen made
more elear TO the conferences
than the right Of our Congress
under eur eonstitptlon 10 exercise
lie independent Judgment IN all
matters Of peace and war. No ct
limit that right. The United
\ states will, indeed, undertake
y undor Article X. 70 'rospoct and
preserve ~ against external aq-
orosslon the Territorial integrity
and existing political indepsnd-
eneo OF all members OF the
League, and that engagement
constitutes . very grave and
solemn moral obligation. But u 10
and leaves our consros" sbso.
lutely free 20 put ts own intsrpro.
tation upon u IN ell cases that
call for action. II is binding In
oonsoienos only, not In law.
PARTICLE X. THE BACK BONE OF
THE ENTIRE COVENANT.
Article X. seems to me TO consti-
tute the very backbone OF the whole
covenant Without II the League
would be hardly more than an In
| nuential debating society.
1T has several times been Sug-
/ gested, In public debate and In pri-
vate conference. that Interpretations
OF the sense In which the United
states accepts the engagements OF
the covenant should be embodied In
the instrument OF ratification. There
can be no reasonable objection TO
such Interpretations accompanying
the act OF ratification provided they
do not form a part OF the formal
ratification itself. Most OF the in
terpretations which have been sug-
gested 70 mo embody what seems to
me the plain meaning OF the in
strument itself But II such inter-
pretations should constitute q part
OF the formal resolution OF ratifica-
tion. long delays would be the inevl-
table consequence, inasmuoh as al
the many governments concerned
would have TO accept tn effect, the
language cf the Senate as the Ian
guRge OF the treaty before ratiflca.
ton would be complete"
| NN99@NNN W 49NMANN WO0EB =
| HAVE TO BE OBTAINED.
'-rhe assent OF the German as.
sembly at WeimAr would have 10 bt
obtained, among the rest. and mus
frankly cay that I could only with
the greatest reluctance approach
that assembly for permission to reac
the Treaty as We understand II anC
az those who framed II quite Ger.
tainly understood II.
~if the United States were 10
qualify the document In any way,
moreover. I am confident from
what know Of the many con-
ferenoss and debates which ao-
eompanled the formulation OF the
Treaty that our example would
Immediately be followed In many
quar.srs, IN some instances with
very serious reservations, and
that the meaning. and operative
force OF the Treaty would pret-
emily be elouded from one end Of
its clauses 20 the other.
"Pardon me. Mr.. Chairman, n
have been entirely unreserved an
plain spoken In speaking OF the grea
matters we al have so much a
heart. II excuse ls needed, trus
that the critical situation OF AFFAIR
may serve as my justification. Tn
iRaues TINT unni(pAtly hnnu unon IN