New-York tribune., 1919-03-05
The Covenants End

The quick finish that has come to the
project that President Wilson brought
home from Europe was inevitable.
It never had 81 chance Of ratification,
and the Senate has done the world q
service by frankly and openly making
this clear.
The scheme itself was vague and
nebu!ous, and as such was equally OBJ
jectionable to diverse elements. Those
who want an international union which
shall adequately safeguard against
war and who are willing to surrender
as much national sovereignty as is nee
essary to achieve the desired end felt
no enthusiasm. They beheld tooth
less and biteless plan that centred no.
where and which had no force behind it
except that which might be subsequently
assembled by unanimous consent.
When the President admitted that any
signatory could withdraw at will and
do about as it pleased he, in fact, &C
knowledged it was not peace league as
the term is commonly used.
With the advocates of superstate
thus dissatisfied those jealous of the i'm
pairment of national prerogatives were
alarmed. The text of Article X COM
mitted US in theory to the widest en-
tanglements. The Monroe Doctrine was
seemingly scrapped, and independent
control over tariffs, immigration and
many other intimate matters seemed
threatened. In return for these great
sacrifices we gained practically sane
tionless agreement which would be
binding on US as nation which keeps
its pledges but might not be binding on
other nations less sconvinced of the
soundness of paper treaties. No won
der the heather ragged!
On neither ground were the propo-
ncnts of the covenant willing to meet it's
critics. Practically all they did was to
abuse their opponents and to proclaim
the blessings of peace. Such running
away from discussion left its natural
impression. The failure of the Presi-
dent, either at Boston or in Washington,
to answer publicly pertinent queries was
susceptible of but one inference.
But other factors besides the demer-
its of the plan contributed to its re-
lection. The President has shown the
most astonishing political ineptitude.
He sought, in violence of unbroken prec-
cdents and Of the spirit of the Constitu-
treaty making, from participation. He
refused to consult. He would not ap-
point members Of the Senate as men,
bers of the peace commission. He would
not say in any definite way what he
wanted, making the impossible demand
that whatever he saw At to agree to must
DC accepted without debate or amend
.Eent.
This tactlessnegs, TO use TO stronger
word, necessarily put the Senate in a
suspicious mood. The Senate, quite as
much as the President, has its duties un-
Ger the Constitution, and, as he would
not consent to serious invasion Of his
rrerogatives, he ought to have known
that the Senate would not consent 10 ab
Gicate. If Mr.. Wilson were a Senator
i.stead Of the Chief Executive, and a
President were to pursue the course he
has followed, one could imagine him ex-
cecding Senator Sherman, Of Illinois, in
denunciation Of usurpation.
AS there is no reason to doubt the sim
cele desire Of the President to contrib
ute 10 organizing mankind for peace
instead Of for war, his policy Of silence
and secrecy and Of unnecessary disrc-
gard of the Senate is almost inexpli-
cable. Who persuaded him into thinking
il was feasible to induce the Senate, of
all bodies In the world, to accept blindly
any mans ipse dixity The blunder was
one almost equal to that OF Andrew
Johnson when he cndcavored to exclude
Congress !rom any effective part in the