New-York tribune., 1919-06-08
For observation-disclosures

- There are those who have been willing
:z3to sign the treaty and join the league OF
ss nations without knowing the terms of
. either That is a species of political
idoatly. Then there are those who
,..rNers violently opposed to the league
-seovcaant before it was written and who
ARE opposed to it still for the same rea-
sons That may be a form of phobia-
Incense on the altar of party fidelity be-
fuddles the mind in one way. Personal
and partisan antipathies may be equally
destructive of fair-mindedness in an
other way Which brings US to say
hat there is danger in such extreme op-
position as that voiced by the radicals Of
the Republican majority in the Senate,
Senator Johnson and Senator Borah.
Sincere radcalism is undoubtedly at the
SS'1Sottom Of their opposition to the league
Covenant But does not personal dis
S'itfust of the President, the belief which
al radicals are expressing, that they
have been hoodwinked and buncoed, add
fuel to their out-and-o out opposition? Are
they not losing sight of the possibilities
7""of salvage that yet remain?
mi 1t is precisely this personal animus
~saahat The Tribune urged the critics of
-sShe league to put aside when considering
51.she covenant. We do not expect such
i1irHtreme devotees as The Euening Post
20 approach the text of the treaty with
oran open and unprejudiced mind. There
II gre some Republicans equally prejudiced.
The bulk of the party in the Senate, we
-.eare confident, will do its best to consider
- sne document on it's merits
-.o,. Senator Borah is out frankly and
eoarageously, to kill the league if he can.
lat is his privilege and his duty, if his
1elief lies that way. But the purpose of
lie Republican majority must plainly be
quite the reverse. 1t is one of salvage,
rot scuttling. Already the league cove
Dant has been improved through Sena-
torial criticism. The aim of Senator
Lodge and his associates must be to
carry that Improvement through to COM
E.etion and to do so with minimum de-
rangement of the processes of peace.
The method has already been indi-
Gated. BY Interpreting the Monroe Doc
trlne IN accordance with its historic past
the Senate can almost certainly reserve
at signing every right needed to escape
he dangerous obligations of Article X
% meddle in the preservation of present
European boundaries. Also, the Mon
roe Doctrine can be preserved intact and
unquestoned. Whether other reserva
tions will be needed or not cannot be de-
termined until the full text is received.
But the possibility of thus preserving
every potential merit of the league as
new machine Of arbitration and negotia
ton, while eliminating the potential seeds
of evil, seems unquestioned And such
- observation by way of Interpretation will
a,9elay neither the day of peace nor Amer
lean participation in the league.
-o4a The task is not an easy one. It will
"a call for every constructive and states
- fnanlike quality of the Republican SEN
s7<ate 1t means delicate and difficult
feat of salvage. 1t means. first and
above all, that personalities must he
ignored and the task of ratification an
preached in the spirit of highest patriot
Ism. The performance will be the ma.s-
ure OF the Republican party in the future