Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1919-07-11
WILSONSURE
SENATE WILL
RATIFY PACT
But if It Doesn't He VIII
Let World Know Where
the Blame Lies.
BY DAVID LAWRENCE.
Copyright. 1919. by The Argus)

Copyright. 1919, by The Argus)
President Wilson has turned over a
new leaf. For the first time since
HAY 1917 he saw the Washington
respondents today and talked
fully and frankly about pending
questions. For more than an hour
he discussed the peace treaty and
league of nations and while some of
his remarks indicate that he has not
finally made up his mind on
number of things, nevertheless he
is definite and positive in his ex-
pectation that the senate would
ratify the treaty without objection
able reservations.
Mr. Wilson gave the impression
that he wouldn't stand for any
reservations and rather emphatical-
ly took issue with those who have
been saying it takes only a majority
vote of the senate to amend the
ratifying resolution. He may or may
not be right about this Senator
Lodge, Republican chairman Of the
foreign relations committee, can
present a convincing argument ex-
actly to the contrary.
Liquor Ban to Stick
In a nutshell the sum total of the
presidents outgiving of news
amounts to this:
FIRST-There isn't a chance
that the ban on liquor will be
raised between now and next
January when the constitution
al amendment on prohibition
goes into effect Mr.. Wilson
spoke of the demobilization pro-
cess as a long one and as de-
pendent upon Germany's part
in carrying out certain military
provisions of the treaty. It
looked as if Mr. Wilson himself
hadn't much hope that this
would be done early.
SECOND - The president
made 1t quite clear that he
didn't intend to hold as club
over the heads of the senate the
trading with the enemy act.
He admitted that it would tech
nically remain in force but that
the discretion vested in the
executive would be exercised in
favor of the immediate resump-
ton Of trade with the central
powers. Mr.. Wilson's decision
is based on an anxiety to have
the Germans begin earning
money to pay the enormous
reparations for which the
treaty provides.
THIRD-The president upset
one supposition which has been
general in this country, namely
that the league of nations
bound the United States to go
to war without action by con-
gress. Mr.. Wilson emphasized
that nothing in the treaty or
league would bind US to act if
congress did not wish to do so.
All the executive would do
would be to recommend action
but congress would exercise
it's constitutional function to
agree or disagree with the ex-
ecutiVe.
FOURTH - The president
thought the French would be
, cut to the heart If America fail
ed to ratify the defensive agree
ment. He told the correspond
ents not to, call it an alliance.
He believed it was not an al
lance. His explanation was
that it merely bridged the gap
between the present and the
time when the league would be
in operation-a pledge to help
France in the immediate future
if Germany misbehaved again.
FIFTH-Mr. Wilson spoke of
the league of nations as
formula which would be follow
ed in the treaties with Bulgaria
and Austria and Turkey as a
means of enforcing those pacts.
Again he brought out that the
league of nations was closely
interviewer in the whole fabric
of preserving the peace that
had been written. He did not
hesitate to make clear that
while the United States had not
l'een at war with Bulgaria and
Turkey, responsibilities would
devolve upon US through the
league of nations to make the
United States a party to the
arrangements made with Tur-
key and Austria and Bulgaria.
SIXTH-The president rath-
er surprised his hearers by his
jnsistence that it would take a
two-thirds and not majority
vote to ratify the peace treaty.
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