Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-06-05
Ex-P President TdffS Speech
TO Bryn MaWr Graduates

Former President Taft's address at
the Bryn Mawr College commencement
today follows:
The treaty Of peace that tho four
teen powers have presented TO the Ger
man representatives for their signatures
is dependent for its execution upon the
machinery provided by the covenant Of
the league of nations.
'If, and when. the Germans sign the
treaty, the President will bring II back
home and submit it to the Senate as a
single document. The constitutional
function of the Senate is to consider the
treaty and TO ratify or reject it. IT
may reject it condtonally, stating the
conditions upon which it does ratify It.
These conditions are called amendments
to the treaty.
The ratifications, however. can only
become absolute and effective upon the
acceptance by other countries of the
amendments contained in these Condi-
tious. Treaties have been ratified with
reservations as to construction. which h,
not objected to by other nations. have
created a binding treaty; but such rcser-
vations cannot be substantial amend
mcnt of the treaty, eliminating any ar
| ticlc or changing its meaning, without
requiring. in order to make binding
treaty, that the other countries sign
| ing the treaty shall consent formally to
the amendments. 1t therefore follows
! that il any substantial amendment is
/ to be- made to the treaty submitted by
the President. it must go back to the
ether powers who signed it for their ac
ccptancc and APPROVAL. This includes not
only all the Allied powers which form
ulatcd the treaty. but it includes Ger
| many also. Upon those who insist that
substantial amendments must be made
: to tho treaty will therefore fall the
responsibility for the indefinite post
/ poncmCnt Of peace which the uncon
ditiOnal ratification of the treaty will at
once bring about. 1t has been pro-
posed to separate the covenant from
the treaty and to ratify the treaty, thus
truncatcd or disscctrd. with the idea
that peace will follow such action by
the Senate.
"a phase Of the discussion Of the
league has been the tendency to con.
ccntratc il on particular features or
articles thought to be dangerous, and
to omit the presentation of the general
organization of the league and its great
and useful machinery for rendering war
Improbable and making peace pprma
nent.
-Four Great Steps
II shall begin. therefore. with the
four great steps taken in the league to
achieve this purpose. and show its
value to the world and to us to be so
capital that we ought to allow nc
minor objection or doubt to deprive us
of thcr inestimable benefits. The Gov
cDant does not Great a supersovereign
It delegates to no managing committee
or body the power TO act for members
! of the league. 1t is not that kind OF
, league. however effective such a league
might be. The covenant is an agree
ment for 60 operation by members of
the league to achieve its purpose. The
members are themselves to act and tc
delegate to no other body the power to
act for them. They are to act through
their constitutional agencies. With us
if a boycott is to be levied. it is for
Congress to decide whether this obliga :
tion has arisen under the treaty and
covenant. and then to levy the necessary
embargo If military forces are to bt
used. it is for Congress to determine
whether they are to be so used, and tC
! authorize their obligations and use
If armament is to be limited, it is fol
the treaty making power. or Congress
to consent to the limit and for Congress
to keep within it.
Two Bodies Provided
There are two bodies provided fol
in the organization of the league. On'
is the council of nine members, five o
them to be representatives of the five
great powers. the United States, thu
British empire France, Italy ant
Japan. and four of them to represen
four other powers selected by the as
scmbIy. The assembly consists Of rep
rcscntativps of all the members of thu
| league. Each country may have from
one to three delegates. and can only
cast one vote. The function of thu
council is advisory and recommendation
| in respect to all the functions of thu
| league. 1t is the agency through which
members of the league are advised of thu
state of affairs, and through which they
can agree upon plan of CO. operation
1t is more active body than the as.
sembly and meets more frequently, ant
has many more duties. One of them il
to act as mediatory body when thu
1 / hif tintn
The assembly. by two thirds vote. car
admit new members to fulfill certain
conditions. If either party desires, il
can be substituted as Il mediating body
for the council. 1t also has the function
of pointing out Inconsistencies betwPer
existing treaties of league members ant
their obligations under the league.
Armaments Question
1.-THE first of the four great steps
taken by the league during the main
trnance of peace is the Limitation oi
armament provided for in the eighth
article. The council is to consider all
world armaments. and with the aid Of
a military commission is to determine
n plan for n general reduction of arLla
mcnts and fix the limit for each nation
member Of the league in that plan. The
r plan is then submitted TO the sevcra
nations for discussion and agreement
When the nations have agreed to 6
plan, or to such amendments of it a.
they require, they covenant to keeT
within the limit fixed and agreed upor
for n period of ten years, unless thu
council increases the limit in view o
changed conditions