Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1919-08-19

1T was recognized that that ques-
tion must be left to be resolved by the
conscience of the nation proposing to
withdraw: and I must say that II did
not seem TO me worth while 20 propose
that the article be made more explicit
because I knew the United States
would never itself propose to withdraw
from the league If its conscience was
not entirely clear as to the fulfillment
| Of it's international obligations. II has
never failed to fulfill them and never
will.
Just a Matter Of Conscience.
article y is in no respect of Doubt
full meanins when read in the light OF
the covenant as a whole. The council
of the league can only advise upon
the means by which the obligations o:
that great article are to be given ef-
feet to. Unless the United States is a
party to the policy or action in ques-
| ton, her own affirmative vote in the
council is necessary before any advice
can be given, for a unanimous vote Of
the council is required. If she Is a
party, the trouble is hers anyhow, and
the unanimous vote Of the council is
only advice in any case. Each govern
ment Is free to reject It II 1t pleases.
! Nothing could have been made more
clear to the conference than the right
| of our congress under our constitution
! to exercise its independent Judgment in
| all. matters OF peace or war. No at
| tempt should be made to question or
| limit that right. The United States
| will. indeed, undertake under Article X
to respect and preserve as against eT-
| ternal aggression the territorial integ-
| rity and existing political independence
| of all members of the league and that
engagement constitutes q very grave
and solemn moral obligation. But it
| is moral not legal. obligation. and
| leaves our congress absolutely free to
put its own Interpretation upon it in
all cases that call for action. II is
| binding in conscience only. not in law.
Article x>Covenant Backbone.
article X seems to me to constitute
the very backbone Of the whole cove
nart. Without it the league would be
| hardly more than an influential de-
batting society.
1T has several times been suggested
in public debate. and in private con-
| ference, that interpretations Of the
sense in which the United States ac-
cepts> the engagements Of the cove
| nant should be embodied In the instru-
ment of ratification. There can be no
| reasonable objection to such interpre-
tations accompanying the act of rati-
fication provided they do not form
part of the formal ratification itself
| Most Of the Interpretations which have
been suggested to me embody what
seems to- me the plain meaning of the
instrument itself. But If such inter
fpretations should constitute part Of
the formal resolution or ratification
long delays would be the inevitable
consequence. inasmuch as all the many
governments concerned would have to
accept in effect. the LANGUAGE of the
senate as the language of the treaty
before ratification would be complete
The assent Of the German assembly
at Weimar would have to be obtained
among the rest and I must frankly
say that I could only with the great
| est reluctance approach that assembly
for permission to read the treaty as
| we understand 1t and those who
| framed it quite certainly understood
it. If the United States were to quail
| ify the Ndocument in any way, more
| over I amfconfident from what I know
| of the many conferences and debates
which accompanied the formulation Of
the treaty that our example would i'm
mediately be followed in many quar-
ters. in some instances with very seri-
Gus reservations. and that the mean
| ing and operative force Of the treaty
would presently be clouded from one
end Of itS c1anSec n tho ofhorD
Quized by Lodge. -..
After the president had delivered his
statement Senator Lodge said:
"Mr. President, so far as I am per-
sonally concerned-and I think 1 rep
| resent a majority of the committee in
| that respective have Nc thought of
entering upon arguments as to inter-
pretations or points OF that character,
| but the committee desired to get in
formation on certain points which
seemed not clear and in which they
thought information would be of value
| in consideration of the treaty which
| they. think, desire to hasten in every
possible way. 81
Your reference to the necessity Of
| action leads me to ask one question: If
we have to restore peace to the world
1t is necessary, I assume. that there
should be treaties with Austria, Hun
gary, Turkey and Bulgaria. These
treaties are all more or less connected
with the treaty with Germany. would
ask what the prospects are for re-
ceiving those treaties for action"
| The president: II think it is very
| good, sir, and so far as I can Judge
from diSpatcfes from NV colIea eres on
the other side of the water the chief
delay is due to the uncertainty as to
what is going to happen to this treaty.
This treaty is a model Of the others.
saw enough of the others before I
left Paris to know they are being
framed on the same set Of principles.
think that Is the chief element Of
delay, sir"
Senator Lodge: "They are not re-
garded as essential to the considera-
tion of this treaty."
The president: "They are not re-
garded as such; no. sir"
Germany Not Concerned"
; Se,,alior I.ntise. %! &c &c. know
about the other treaties. but the treaty
with Poland, for example, has been
completed" ..s
The president: "Ycs, and signed:
but it is dependent upon this treaty.
My thought was to submit 1t upon the
action on this treaty"
The president said the United States
would have freedom Of choice as to
the application Of force" in carrying
out Article x Of tho league covenant.
Replying to Senator Fall, who sug-
pested that as Germany yvas NOT a