Evening journal., 1919-12-26
The Peace OF Europe is No Deteadenf
Upon ANY League OF Nations
Fromf the Now YorkSu
LFrom the New Nork suns

! humor and his accustomed lucidity OF
expression, he endeavors in his North
American Review article 70 make Our
foreign friends understand that the Eu-
ropsan nations had ample and excep-
tional warning that the American rep
resentatives at the Peace Conference
had no authority 10 commit their coun-
try TO any treaty obligations:
First, because the Constitution OF the
United States, since The very founda-
ton OF our republic, had peen giving
explicit notice TO all the world that no
official however great or illustrlous,
could commit the United states TO any
I treaty Obligation except by and with
the advice and consent Of the Senate,
and provided two-thirds OF the Senate
present concur "
Secondly. because in view Of this pro
vision, 10 was the plain duty Of the rep
resenlaiives Of the European Govern
ments 10 ascertain whether the ideas
OF the American Peace Commissioners
were those Of the American people, as
expressed IN the final treaty making
organ Of our Government, the Senate.
lie says:
81 quite appreciate the difficulty
and delicacy Of such a question; but
the times were critical. delays were
fatal. and &C was. as Il seems TO me,
the part OF common prudence for
the Paris Conf renee to examine
with great care the credentials Of all
] representatives 10 see whether they
had unlimited or only limited
powers
Thirdly. because additional aud even
more significant warning had been
given TO the Paris Conference, In No
vember Of 1918. in the direct refusal, by
a majority exceeding one million votes,
Of the American people, responding at
/ that election 10 an equally direct appeal
from President Wilson, TO give him a
! mandate 20 speak for them with au-
ihority in the then pending negotia-
] tions.
FOurihly, because the European rep
I resentatives at the Conference could
not have been ignorant OF the fact that
| President Wilson went 90 Paris and as
suncd ere and elsewhere 70 spcah
with representative authority, In defl-
/ ance Of a storm OF protest throughout
an America. 1T may be doubted" says
/ Mr. Beck. whether the sentiment OF
! the Amedican people was ever express
/ ed with greater unan'mity. no one can
! ga'nsay that President Wilson went e.
/ Paris in the teeth OF almost universal
/ opposition In his own country and
without respect 60 party"
! Filthy, because when the President
returned in February 10 this country
with the FIRST drafs Of the Covenant OF
1 The League, more than one-third Of
! The Senate-which had the power 10 de-
I feat any treaty-gavc formal notice By
the so-called round robin that The prn
/ posed covenant would not be accepted
I by the American peOpS
! It will be observed by those who read
I this useful article in the North Amer
/ lean Review that with careful delicacy
i Mr.. Beck refrains from pushing 20 the
ultimate and inevitable conclusion The
/ question Of responsibility for the Pres
I dents statements 90 the Conference re-
/ garding his powers, for his pretended
/ possession Of mandate which did not
exist, for the fatal blunders and fateful
I consequences OF his exploit IN inter
weaving. His moderation in this re-
! spect detracts in no degree from the
force Of his argument; and the ultimate
/ and inevitable conclusion would be per-
1 sonally unpleasant II plainly written.
Returning 30 the greater question
with which we began. the observations
Of an American known so well as Mr..
Beck is In Great Britain and France
as an earnest advocate Of friendly rela-
tiOns and effective cooperation between
the three Powers for the maintenance
Of world peace ought 10 carry convlc-
tion and relief 10 quarters now troubled
with misapprehension. Few men are
in better position 10 say This with ad-
vantage 10 British and French bellcv-
ers in Americas "cOmmitmenls":
"The greatest opportunity 70 COM
bine the liberal and kindred democ-
racies Of the world into one cffec-
tive entente has been largely vast
cd. Especially deplorable Is the
effcct Of this misguided attempt
( 1.-THE WilsOnian interweavingl upon
Anclo-Amcrlcan relations. The
maintenance OF thUse relations Is
Of more consequence tnaa any
league of nations. II this
great entente did not rest upon
surer foundation than the Paris
Peace Conference and the League or
Nations. The thoughtful man coiEd
only despair Of the future Of civil
izatiOn. Fortunately. even the folly
Of the League Of Nations cannot
destroy The strong foundation upon
which the AngiO-French-A American
entente now rests. That foundation
consists not only Of kindred inter-
Csls and ideals which will newt
ably make for cooperation; but
rests upon the powerful though
| sentimental fact Of the comradeshlp