The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-04-04
ply q REIMBURSEMENT by the United
States Of It's traditional attitude to-
ward purely American questions"

The resolute adherence of tn
United States to the traditional polio.
which had made our republic indie
pendent and great is stated In sub
stnntially the same terms In the res
ervation which ex.secretary Roo
has proposed, with the hearty con
currence Of the American Senator
and the American newspapers an,
citisens everywhere, to apply to ever.
article OF the covenant and constltu
ton which President WILSON ha
been negotiating, on hie individual re
sponslbility. at Paris:
"Inasmuch as In becoming a mem
Der Of the league the United States
OF America In moved by no interest
or wish to intrude upon or interiors
with tho political policy or Internal
administration OF any foreign state,
and by no existing or anticipated
dangers In the AFFAIRS Of the Ameri-
can continents. but accedes TO tho
wish Of the European states that It
shall Join Its power to theirs for tho
preservation Of general peace. the
representatives of the United States
sign this convention with the under
standing that nothing therein con-
tanned shall be construed to imply a
REIMBURSEMENT by the United States
of America OF its traditional atti-
tuds toward purely American ques-
lions. or to require the submission Of
ik policy regarding such questions
0ncluding therein the admission OF
immigrants) to the decision or recon-
rnendation OF other Powers"
Now, IL the body Of the convention,
Of The Hague had contemplated Amer
lean Intrusion upon and interference
with the political policy and interna
administration Of foreign states, ant
II 1t had sought to commit the Unitey
States to the relinQuishment Of IL
attitude toward purei.
notwithstanding tn
Monroe Doctrine--and IL 1t had beer
the original purpose Of the negotia
tors Of the conventions to involve tn,
United States In such a departur,
from its traditional American policy
and II their purpose had beer
thwarted by the Senate when It re
fused to ratify the Hague conven
lions except with this radical and al
reservation or amendment
would or would not the authors O,
the attempt to abandon the Aionro,
Doctrine have been warranted II
victory over the American
Senate upon the ground that som,
sort of convention had been in fac
ut Washington?
We frankly confess our inability II
perceive any difference between sucl
claim In 1907. had anybody beer
enough then to assert Il
and the claim in 1919, advance
either for reasons Of partisan polite,
Or for purposes adulatory Of the ne
gotiating Executive, that becaus,
some sort Of a league Of nations hat
been finally accepted by the Senat,
Il was President WILSON who ha,
in his enterprise and tn,
In and out Of the Senat,
who had surrendered to his polio,
and triumphant will.
And THE Sun Is as certain az 4
tlares to he Of anything In the futur,
that in whatever shape the Wilson
League of Nations comes back for tn,
second time to America It canno
pass the Senate II 1t abandons tn,
Monroe Doctrine, II II departs in an.
essential particular from our tradI
tional policy, II 1t impalrs in any de
gree this nations full sovereignty b,
the erection Of any scheme of super
or international Social
ism, no matter how disguised.
III.
There Ia abundant evidence tina
Mr.. WILSON'S original scheme for
league of nations, secretye as his pro
cedure has been, evasive Of specif
as his outgivings concerning
It have been since he first wen
emotional and rhetorical a
has been his entire treatment Of ,
subject intensely practical in It's bear
ings. did contemplate league Of mn
lions widely different from any leagu
Of nations that the world can regar,
as possible. Fills fourteenth Point O
Principle of January 8, 1913, wa
conclusive in this respect, and 1t wa