Omaha daily bee., 1919-09-30
The Showdown at Hand
From the Minneapolis Tribune.

President Wilson said in his Cheyenne
speech that he would interpret any reserva-
ton by the senate on Article of the cove
nant of nations as rejection of the peace
treaty, if such reservation were made part of
the ratification resolution. 1t mattered not,
he said. how mild the reservation might be.
He reserves to himself the privilege of saying,
when the senate shall have acted. whether its
action is an acceptance or rejection
If this is not General Order No. (or some
other number) by the executive branch of the
government upon the treaty-making part OF the
legislative branch to do as it is bid, what else
is it? The whole burden of all the presidents
treaty with Germany, including the covenant.
must be ratified without change. He has stated
it as his view that any opposition to this plan
makes out the opponent "pygmy mind" a
Contemplate gutter" or an adherent of the
o-German sentiment of the country-or all
three.
Senator Lenroot one of the so-called mild
reservationists," has in turn served on the pres-
dent notice that without reservation on Ar
ticle the treaty will not be ratified. He doubt
less is morally certain of his ground At any
rate he has had an advantage over the president
in getting at the exact status of sentiment in
the senate.
1t appears now that the reservation to Ar
ticle X which was vociferously applaudcd at
Salt Lake City when Mr. Wilson read it, was
mia drdlt upon Wnich opponents OF the cove
nant precisely as it stands seemed likely to
come to an agreement. The spontaneous cheers
which greeted it and plainly nettled the pres-
dent indicate something as to what the Ameri-
can people are thinking about in connection
with this Article X but the president is now
giving up his tour and is going back to Wash
ington, according to newspapermen on his
train, with the assertion that he carries man
date from the people for ratification of the
treaty without change.
The presidents virtual ultmatum to the
senate that it either accept or reject the treaty
as it stands comes at a time when that body
seems most nsistent on its dignity and pre-
negatives as constitutional part of the treaty
making power and when the president appears
to have become peculiarly inpatient with the
trend of things in Washington. The challenge
to a Knockout" fight has been sent forth and
has been accepted. The senate has felt ever
since last December that it has been unduly
ignored and fouted. At no time has it been
taken into the confidence of the executive de-
partment sufficiently to give it the light it needs
for the most intelligent possible performance
of the duties that devolve upon it. The White
House conference was the nearest approach
to it up to THAT time but the president Ere
GREETED" that he had not at hand certain impor-
tant data that the senators asked for. That in
formation has not yet reached them and the
senate has not been helped a whit to a better
understanding of the treaty by what Mr. Will
son has said during his tour.
Mr.. Wilson. says a friendly correspondent
with him. admits his pride has been hurt by
the questions raised regarding the document
he helped formulate and signed That might
be expected as quite natural in the case of one
SO sure of himself but are the injured feelings
of any man to tip the scales against the collec-
tive Judgment of many men-some of them
equally able--in matter of such great mo-
ment?
The senate is quite right in asserting its
majesty at this time of all times The issue is
fast becomng-if it did not long ago become
one of executive monopolizaton of treaty
making power against the wise division of that
power set up in the fundamental law of the land
by the statesmen of vision who drafted the
American constitution.