The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-06-18

war to raise and support armies to
provide and maintain n navy or to
make rules for the Government and
regulation Of the land and naval forces
and II the treaty making power may not
by treaty confer such authority upon
the House OF Commons II may not by
the same token confer It upon any other
body which may exist in the world. ]
am not now concerned with the situation
which would confront us II under the
heel Of victorious foe. imposing upon
US his will and his sovereignty, the
treaty making power OF the United
States should In the dire necessity of
defeat act as constituent assembly
and, as the functioning Government in.
strumentality, make a treaty which
should surrender our sovereignty, be-
cause, sir, this 10 not our position now
and pray God, IL may never be. When
that unhappy time comes we shall face
II as we must. We stand now VIC
torious. and as victors our constitutional
bodies move in their regular and APP
pointed orbits. We have now only those
powers with which the sovereign people
OF the United States have endowed us
Standing in this position and having
dlObo itinlldlloho ID tlht we
should proclaim to the people, whose
servants we are, that We know our pow
ers and the extent of our authority. and
II is but fair to those who negotiate
with us at the peace table that they
should likewise be made aware OF the
extent Of our power and of the limita-
lions Of our authority. as they are sci
forth in this resolution.
Clause Properly Included.
I'm this view 1 take 1t there can BIZ
no question as to the propriety OF the
inclusion of this clause.
Before passing to the discussion Of
tho third clause of the resolution,
wish to say a few words regarding tn,
final clause of the second paragraph
OF the preamble which declares tina,
the treaty as drawn contains princi.
lucrative of legitimate race and ma
tional aspirations, oppressive Of weak
nB lions and peoples. and destructive Of
human progress and liberty
senators have asked me to desig'
nate those features of the treaty which
Justify this arraignment. 1 hasten tc
givo some OF them, sufficient to demon.
strate that the charge as drawn il true
AS the covenant is now framed. II
contains the pernicious provisions EN-
| bodied in Article 10 which are de
| signed TO fix through all time-ant
merit Is made OF this purpose OF thu
provision-the boundaries set up by tn,
treaty Of peace. 1t is no secret thai
these boundaries are already, though
no. yet fixed other than In contem
plation, the subject of serious com
plant and even OF dispute. People!
are Directing to their disposition 10y thi,
| treaty, which once more hands then
about as mere pawns in a game o.
chess, and those who are so objectinl
are not our sworn enemies over whom
We stand victors, but our friends. oul
allies. our equals in this undertaking
and in their rights TO enjoy the benefits
OF Its happy fruition. No matter what
may be the desires OF these discon
| tented peoples in the future no mattel
what race affinities may be hereafter
! worked out. no matter what their rea
interest may demand or a wise states
mnnlike haneling of their affairs would
! counsel, their boundaries stand fixed
subject to readjustment Under sucl
! covenant procedure as would make fu
tie any hope of change.
Gould any scheme more 'obliterativt
o. legitimate race and national aspira
tions be concocted?
Refers to Balkans Problem.
Moreover. word has within the las
weeks come from Paris that upon com
plant Of certain of the smaller Balkan
powers as to provisions OF the treat,
Affecting them, our own Chief Execu
tive has warned them that 1t was pro
posed under the covenant so to contro
| their domestic affairs that minoritie
within their Jurisdiction should b,
al he 4 IA.
| as the States themselves might deem
eNpedient In other words, the pro
posal is to set up this League as 9
mentor over the small nations OF tn.
earth with power TO compel them to d.
! as the League wishes, to travel alonI
the roads that the League points out
and to- reach that destiny alone {,
which the League consents Is not suci
plan sufficiently oppressive OF veal
nations and peoples" And in this con
nection it may be well worth while I,
nave In mind the announcement from
| Paris that our President has declared
tho Irish questionable political dyna
| mite OF the whole Anglo-Saxon race
might properly be the subject of con
! siceration by the League when estab
| llshed, and OF the suggestion heard IN
the United States that by a parity o.
reasoning, 1t may be contended that III,
negro question of the United States
To- we have such a question, vital, far
reaching and ominous-might receive .
| like consideration.
| Il come now to the third clause o
the resolution which asks for and show
how We may be given time fully to con
slider the far reaching plan which is [,
be placed before US for our action. I,
the first clase of this paragraph TIL
Senate advises, in accordance with IL
constitutional right and duty, that tn
great paramount. IL not sole duty, OF tn,
peace conference is quickly to bring {,
all The belligerents full and complet
, peace. Question has been made in SOM
| quarters OF the nature and extent of TN
advisory powers OF the Senate in treat,
making. As 1t is a subject not withou
diihculty and not without previous dis
| cussion and explanation, | would com
| mend to the attention OF the Senator
on The other side the views expressed b,
the late Senator Bacon OF Georgia II
/ 1906. IL Will give enlightenment. eve,
though not comfort, to those who con
tend for ministerial paucity Of sena
torial right in the making of treaties.
| Real Functions of Senate.
This Is not the time. nor is this tn
occasion, TO enter into an extended dis
cusson OF this subject but I assure 20,
that an examination OF the records will
show that from the earliest days OF on
Republic the Chief Executives. beginn!n
with Washington. have not only regarde,
the Senate as possessing real function
or elaboration over the terms of
treaty, but have also regarded II a
proper, desirable and consistent will
the mutual rights involved, to consul
the Senate even before negotiations hav