New-York tribune., 1919-06-13

o. >N'''PiS Niii IlOC NC lCdUy
for presentation until Saturday
night.
before the committee in confidence any
special information that might affec
the decision of the committee" Thi!
was voted down, 9 to 5.
Two side developments of the da,
were the introduction of resoluto,
by Senator Sterling, of South Dakota
and a statement by Senator Edge, O.
New Jersey, declaring for a reservation
to the league of nations covenant, wher
the treaty should be considered, virtu
ally multiplying Article 10 of the cove
rant. Mr. Sterling would leave to thu
Congress sitting at the time whether
this country should take any action ir
connection with the league in the East
ern Hemisphere. Mr. Edge in his state
ment declares that the Republican:
should decide just what features OF
the league Of nations covenant and ir
the peace treaty they will not approve
and should take action to notify the
peace conference about the particula,
changes they demand.
Senator Sterling's Resolution
Following is the text of the resolu.
tion introduced by Senator Sterling:
Resolved, That it is the sense of
the Senate that the ratification Of
the terms Of the treaty of peace, in
cludlng the covenant for a league
of nations. lately proposed by the
Allied powers and associated nations
to Germany and to Austria, should
be on the following express condi-
tlons or reservations to be attached
10 and become a part of said treaty
and covenant, and not otherwise:
THAT the United States of Ameri-
ca, in view of their remote situation
with reference to European states or
other states of the eastern hemi-
sphere, and their more immediate in
terest in the territorial integrity and
free institutions of the sovereign
states of the western hemisphere
and policies concerning which and
the cordial relations with which the
United States will endeavor to main
>~Ai4, N->PiCSoly ISSCI"C W themselves
the right to determine through the
Congress the justice or expediency
of any fulilment on the part of the
United States of the obligations con-
tanned in or imposed by Article X
of the covenant for a league of ma
tions so far as such obligations at
any time apply to the situation of
any state or states of the eastern
hemisphere"
Senator Sterling said his resolution
will not interfere in any way with the
Knox resolution and that it is not in
tended to do so.
Purpose of Senator Explained
"My resolution has two objects in
vlew," Senator Sterling said. "In the
first place it asserts the Monroe Doc
trine without naming it. Secondly, it
leaves to Congress its right to pass on
" neither we desire to 60 to the defence
of other nations.
81 do not intend to offer my resolu-
tion as substitute for the Knox
resolution. If the Senate decides to
separate the treaty and league of ma
tions covenant, which I favor, my reso-
luton will still be in order On the
other hand, if the two propositions are
not separated my resolution will still
be applicable"
In statement on the Knox resolu-
ton Senator Edge, Of New Jersey, to-
day said:
II would greatly have preferred to
have the League Of Nations covenant
and the peace treaty PRESENTED to the
Senate separately, and think virtually
every Senator would so have preferred.
But, it is time for the Senate to say
what it wants beyond the mere separa-
ton of the documents. I wish they
were separated, but criticism without
suggestions of remedy, ex-
cept as made in public speeches, does
not solve the problem. If a majority
in the United States Senate dissent
from some of the provisions of the
covenant, or of their probable inter
pretations, as believe they do, they
should assume an affirmative, positive
attitude, rather than to remain con-
in the negative.
"On the one hand, how can Senators
assume the responsibility enJolned on
them by the Constitution, of weighing
and considering subject of such tre-
nendous Importance to the American
people, if it is presented in the form
proposed, with the direct intimation,
If you materially change any Of it.,
you are delaying peace? A Senator
veil might reverse the situation, in
'iew of his obligations and RESPONSE
oilities under the Constitution, demand
ng that he be enabled to carry out
those obligations by proper consider
alton Of the document, and rightly re-
.ort that our Representatives abroad
must assume responsibility for any
'urther delay.
"On the other hand I would say very
rankly that I think the time has ar
lived for the Senate to be affirmative
md constructive in it's criticism, rather
han negative even if il has not been