The sun., 1919-06-22
ROOT WOULD LOP
OFF COVENANT


q system OF arbitration or judicial deci-
sion upon questions of legal right
Nothing has been done toward providing
for the revision or development Of In
ternational law. In these respects prin-
without variation for half n century
arc still ignored. ana We are left with
programme which rests the hops OF
the world for future peace In Govern
meDt OF men and not OF laws following
the dictates OF expectancy and not OF
hight Nothing has been done TO limit
the vast and incaicuiable obligation
which Article x. OF the covenant under
takes to impose upon each member of
the league to preservt against external
aggression the territorial integrity and
political Independence of all members
OF the league all over the world.
"The clause authorizing withdrawal
from the league upon two years notice
leaves q doubt whether more charge
that we had not performed soma interna-
tional obligation would not put It In the
power OF the council to take Jurisdiction
OF the charge as . disputed question and
keep US in the league indefinitely against
our will
The clause which has been inserted
regarding the Monroe Doctrine Is srro-
neous in It's description Of the doctrine
and ambiguous IN meaning. Other purely
American questions, az, FOR example.
questions relating to immigration. are
prote cted only by q clause apparently ON
towering the council to determine
whether such questions are solely within
the domestic jurisdiction OF the United
States do not think that in these re-
spects the United States In sufficiently
protected against most Injurious results
which are wholly unnecessary for the es-
tablishment and maintenance OF this
League Of Nations.
ION the other hand Il still remains
that there Is in the covenant a great
deal Of very high value which the world
ought not to lose. The arrangement to
make conferences Of the Powers auto
matio when there In danger Of war pro-
visions for joint action. az OF course by
representatives Of the nations concerned
In matters affecting common interests
the agreement for delay in case Of Sc
rious disputes with opportunity to bring
the public opinion of the world to bear
on tha disputants and to induce cool and
deliberate Judgment: the recognition of
racial and popular rights to the freedom,
Of local self-government. and the plan
indispensable In some form for setting
up governments in the vast regions de-
prived by the wer OF the autocratic rule
which had maintained order-all these
ought not to be lost II that can possibly
be avoided.
'-The condition of Europe requires
prompt action. Industry has not re-
vivod there. It's revival requires raw
materials, To obtain those crssit Is nee
essary md for this there must be secur-
ity for tho fruits Of enterprise. and for
this there must be peace. Satan Is And
ing evil work for idle hands to do In
Europe-evil work that affects the whole
world, including tho United States.
What Ought to He Done.
Under these circumstances what
ought to be done2
to be considered with the peace terms
included the Senate ought to include
in its resolution Of consent to the ratin-
cation an expression OF such reserva-
tons and understan dingB as will cure, -
far as possible, the defects which
have pointed out. You will probably be
unable TO do anything now about the
system Of arbitration and the develop
ment of international law You can,
however. put into the resolution OF con-
rent a reservation refusing TO agree to
so ; you can clarity the meaning of the
withdrawal article, and you can also
include in your resolution the substance
Of the third amendment, which ] pro-
posed In my letter to Mr.. Hays Of March
20 relating to purely American ques-
tons. and I think YOU should do so.
These clauses Of the resolution shape
themselves in my own mind as follows
THE Senate OF the United States adj
ylses and consents to the ratification
OF the said treaty with the following
reservations and understandings to be
made n part of the instrument OF rati-
fiCation. viz:
81. In advising and conserving TO
the ratification OF the said treaty the
Senate reserves and excludes from its
consent the tenth article OF the cove
nant for the League OF Nations as TO
which the Senate refuses its consent.
80, The Senate consents TO the ratih-
cation OF the said treaty reserving Ar
ticle X. aforesaid, with tho understand
ing that whenever two yeara notice OF
withdrawal from the League OF Nations
shall have been given as provided In
Article T. no claim. charge or finding
that international obligations or obllga
lions under the covenant have not been
fulfilled will be deemed TO render the
two years notice Intellectual or to keeI
the power giving the notice in the lea que
after the expiration of the time specified
in the notice.
"(D. Inasmuch as in agreeing TO be-
come member of the League OF Ma
tions thu Iynited Statea NJ Amarica Il