The sun., 1919-09-30

sons Of Influence who can bring pres
sure TO do no. No matter lf you have
done this---do H aoaia and in post
tive and conclusive manner. Don't
toait on others: strike straight from
the shoulder. NOW; and put all your
might behind the blow"
Right on the heels Of this frantic and
eccentrically italicized appeal from
his National Campaign Manager and
his Assistant National Campaign
Manager against any kind Of change
In the treaty ex-President TAFT In
forms President WILSON that every
body but him knows that there must
be reservations. and that 1t Is his
duty as the servant Of the Republic
to accept those reservations and make
the best Of them instead Of quitting
in personal pique. That, we think,
Is a fair statement of Mr.. TAFT's
position as indicated in the subjoined
paragraphs in the Public Ledger:
Everybody knows-unless It be
the President-that q majority Of
the Senate is in favor Of reservations
restricting by construction and quail
hcation such an Interpretation Of the
treaty that Congress might when
called upon refuse to fulfil certain Of
its legal and honorable obligations
which, the majority think. would
arise under the treaty unless quail
fed. And every one knows but the
President that unless such reserva-
tons are agreed upon there are
enough votes In the Senate to defeat
the treaty, whatever the conse-.
quence"
And after stating this plain fact
thus squarely to the only man who
refuses to recognize Its existence Mr..
TAFT goes on to say:
"If rejection follows what will be
the course of the President? He will
have to seek new treaty, with new
provisions substituted for the pres
ent League of Nations. and II he
fails in this with the Allies he viii
have to deal directly with Germany
as to the terms of separate peace.
He cannot wash his hands Of the
whole business. Under our system
he Is the sole initiator of treaties. He
alone can lead the way to peace. II
the Senate refuses to concur in
peace treaty of his making he can
not say I won't play because l can't
have my way He might do SO in
respect to most treaties, but not in
respect to a peace treaty. We must
have a peace treaty. the war must
end and the consequent change of re-
lations and rights must be definitely
settled What, then. is his present
duty? 1t is to face facts as they are
and make the best of them
Thus. while Premier CLEMENCEAU
is exhibiting in the most practical way
the fallacious and misleading charac-
ter Of President WILSON'S main argu-
ment for unqualified ratification the
President Of the League to Enforce
Peace is exhibiting at the same time
with invincible logic and common
sense the silly futility of the appeal
by the campaign managers of his own
league and the plain duty Of the Presi-
dent to be the President even after
the President shall have discovered
that he is beaten.
NJ. CLEMENCEAU knows that the
qualification of the treaty by reser-
vations is not impossible, Mr.. WILSON
to the contrary Notwithstanding. Ex-
President TAFT, on this side of the
Atlantic, knows and does not hesitate
to inform President WILSON that the
ratification Of the treaty without res
ervations is impossible Everybody
seems to know these things-every-
body except the President