Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1919-08-20

mittee would seek further confer
ence. Tomorrow it will resume its
open hearings at the capitol.
Leaves List of Questions.
Senator Fall left with Mr.. Wilson
list of questions, which the latter
said he would reply to at length
later. They concern the powers of
the president or congress to declare
state of peace, details OF the re-
sumption of trade and diplomatic
relations with Germany, what dis
position is to be made Of the Ger
man colonies and the need for
American representation on various
European construction committees.
The presidents declaration OF
compelling moral obligation under
the league was emphasized in a
statement issued jointly tonight by
Senators Borah, Idaho, and John
son, California, republican members
of the committee and two of the
bitterest opponents to the treaty in
its present form. They declared
the days testimony had borne out
their claim that the league would
lead to foreign complications. They
also pointed out that Senator John
son had developed in the days
meeting that good part of the ter
ritorial settlement resulting from
the war was yet TO be determined
The arrangements for publishing a
transcript of the discussion which
grew out of suggestion from the
committee that senator's be not re-
CURED to keep the proceedings in
confidence, had Mr. Wilson's per-
sonal supervision. After the com
mittee had departed he went to the
White House basement. where the
newspaper correspondents were
waiting for the last of the steno-
graphic report, and asked whether
everything there was going
smoothly.
Il came down. he said to the
correspondents, ito inquire of you
gentlemen if the report of the con-
ference was handled the way you
wanted
Question of Moral Obligations.
The president in his statement at
the opening of the conference said
he believed only the meaning of GER
tain parts of the league covenant
stood in the way of ratification of
the treaty. Later Senator Brandegee
told him he had been wrongly in
formed on that subject as there was
much serious opposition in the sem
ate to the Shantung provisions and
to other features.
When the question of moral obi
CATION was raised. Senator Harding
suggested that the covenant provi
sons might amount to "surrendering
the suggestion of moral obligation
for this republic to the prejudices
and necessities of the nations of the
old world"
Il do not understand that we do
surrender" replied the president.
would you not understand de-
cree by the council to be a sugges-
ton of this moral obligation?"
"Certainly ! would, but we would
have to concur in that before it had
any force of any kind"
Then what permanent value is
there to this compact"
The greateSt permanent value is
the point that | have raised. We
are assuming that the United States
will not concur in the greatest moral
judgment of the world. In my opln-
ion she generally will"
Asked whether all the British do
minions would be barred from vot
ing on any question affecting the
British empire, the president said
that in such case the entire en-
pire would have but one vote.
Referring to the clause in the spe-
cial defensive treaty with France,
which provides that it can come into
force only if approved by the league,
Mr.. Brandegee asked whether it was
constitutionally proper for the senate
to approve a treaty with the decision
of its validity left to a body not
yet organized The president said
he saw no objection.
Considers Meaning Plain.
at is true, is it not" asked Sena-
tor Brandegee, that if difficulties
arise as to the construction OF any
provision in the treaty with Ger
many after we have passed from the
scene, what we thought the pro-
vision meant will not be very pow
erful in the construction that will be
placed upon it by those who then
have to determine what it means"
The vote of the United States will
be essential" Mr.. Wilson replied.
Il do not mean that. The fact
that you think now that everything
in the treaty is plain, and the fact
that | think there is grave doubt
about some of the provisions, will
not seriously affect the opinion OF
the council?"
mo, but the plain wording of the
treaty will have great deal to do
and the meaning of the wording is
plain"
That is simply another way of
stating. is it not, that you are clear
in your opinion?" queried the sena-
tor.
mo, sir, it is a question of being
confident what language means, not
confident of an opinion
But the language is in dispute
now between you and certain law
yers of the country and certain
senators, as to its meaning"
Senator Bandegee added that with |
regard to article 10, his own under
standing of the language was quite
clear, continuing that the provision
was an obligation in a contract,
land know of but one way to per-
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