Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1919-08-28
PRESIDENT DENIES
TREATY WAR PACT
Wilson Tells Senate Committee
Congress Only War Maker.
Japan WON'T RULE sHANTuNe
TELLS Senators Tokyo Has Promised to
Give Up Any Sovereignty There
Asks Them to Interpret but
Not to Change Treaty.

Washington, Aug. 20.-In a confer
ence at the White House u~nprecedent-
ed In American history, President Will
son discussed the peace treaty with
the senate foreign relations commit
tee, answered questions put by sena-
tors and gave out a stenographic
transcript of the proceedings to the
public.
Some of the inside details of the
peace conference, how the League of
Nations covenant was drawn, and 9TH
er historic happenings were handed out
verbatim for the world to read, in con-
trast to the time-honored procedure of
secrecy, presidential and senatorial
"confidence."
Nothing approaching the conference
In that respect is recalled since George
Washington went to the senate to dis
cuss troubles with the Indians.
Urges Speedy Ratification.
Making a plea for ratification of the
treaty that the world might be turned
wholly back to a peace basis, the pres
ident said he saw no reasonable OBJ
lection to the senate expressing its in
depreciation of the League of Nations
covenant so long as those interpreta-
tions did not actually become part of
the act of ratification.
If interpretations were part of the
formal ratification, the president con-
tended, long delays would follow, as
other governments would have to "ac-
cept in effect the language of the SEN
ate as the language Of the treaty be-
fore ratification would be complete"
Most of the interpretations, the presi-
dent said, seemed to him to suggest
the plain meaning of the instrument
itself"
Must Get U. S. Consent.
The much-discussed article ten, the
president told the senators, was not of
doubtful Interpretation when read in
connection with the whole covenant.
The council, he said, could only lad
vise," and as it's action must be unani-
nous, the affirmative vote of the Unit
ed States would be necessary for any
question affecting it.
Article sixteen, the president said,
provided that where there is a dispute
found to be solely within the ,jurisdic-
tion of n of the parties, under inter-
national law, the league council shall
so report and make no recommended
ton for its settlement. immigration,
tariffs and the like, the president said,
clearly came under that provision.
The plan for the league, finally sub
mitted in Paris, the president said, had
been built up first from a plan drawn
by a British committee headed by a
Mr.. Phillimore and later included ideas
from q plan drawn by General SHUTS.
From these and other discussions,
coupled with the presidents own ideas,
the league plaE was made.
Own Redraft Not Submitted.
His own private redraft of the Phil
iimore plan, the president said. was
not submitted to the American peace
AH9AO LIZ Atu sSCA GcCItldEY LuH
sings proposals only informally.
The president said the United States
would have complete freedom of
choice as to the application of force
In carrying out article ten of the
league covenant.
The president told the committee
the league council would have moth
ing whatever to do with deciding
whether the United States had fulfilled
its obligations in case of withdrawal
from the league.
The conference was not held in the
blue room. as had been planned, the
president taking his visitors into the
east room, where they were seated
around a big table. Senator Lodge sal
mex to the president.
Japan Won't Rule ~Shantuno.
To q query as to what sovereignty
Japan retained in Shantung President
Wilson said:
"Slle has not retained sovereignty
over anything. I mean she has prom
ised not to. Senator Borah has asked
-S@g l1AhN
whether this understanding was ora
or otherwise. / do not like to describe
tie operation exactly If 1t is not Der
frctIy discreet. AS a matter of fact
this was technically oral, but ~litcrall,
written and formulated and the form
ulatiOn agreed upon.v
President Wilson said he disagreed
with the opinion given the committe,
ny Secretary Lansing that japan
would have signed the treaty regard
less of whether It contained the Shan
tung provision.
when is the return (of Shantun,
to Chinn) to be NADER" asked Sem
tor Johnson.
THAT was left undecided, but W,
were assured at the time that It woul,
b. as socn rs possible
did not the Japanese decline Il
fix any dateY
"They did ut that time, yes: hut
ifink 1t Is fair to them to say the
could not at that time say when /
would be-
Senator New-Mr. President. Toe
mot this indefinite promise OF .Jnpan'
suggest the somewhat analogous cas
0f England's %occupntion of Efattas Oh