The daily star-mirror. (Moscow, Idaho) 1911-1939, 1919-05-12
League Covenent Should be Ratified

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The Spokesman-Review believes
that the league covenant sould be
ratified by the senate, with resolu-
ton defining the senate's understand
ing of the clauses covering the Mon
roe doctrine, immigration, the tariff
and other international questions.
Republican leaders would do well
to read Mr.. Taft's counsel, spoken be-
fore the Chicago Hamilton club
Wednesday, not to make an issue of
ratification. Republican opposition
as party policy would create in the
public mind an erroneous impression
not warranted by the facts. The
league of nations plan as it will now
come before the senate is not the
child of Mr. Wilson-either in con-
|'ception, form or detail, as the record
clearly proves.
To Mr.. Taft, more than to any other
individual anywhere, belongs the
credit for crystallizing the concep-
ton.
To Jan Christian SHUTS, British
South African statesman and general
and Lloyd George belongs the credit
for the original form President Will
son carried an American plan to
Paris, but it was put aside for the
British draft. The presidents plan
has never been disclosed, though Sen
ator Brandegee has made repeated
efforts to have our state department
submit copy to the country. The
fact that the American plan had been
put aside for the British draft was
admitted by the president in confer
ence with senators at the White
House on February 27. Senator
Brandegee then asked the president
if there would be any objection to
its publication and the president an
swered that he knew of none. Sena-
tor Brandegee has asked our state
department for copy but SO far
has been put off with excuses. I'm
der date of April IS, Is days after
the senator's formal request for
copy, Frank L. Polk, acting secretary
in the absence of Secretary Lansing,
acknowledged it's receipt in these
words
A cablegram was sent to the
mission on the subject, explaining
that the department had not yet
received a copy of the American
plan to which you referred. l
have today received a reply from
the American mission stating that
copies of the American plan will
be brought back at the time of
the return of the president and
the mission to the United States.
A belief is growing in many minds
that the president will never dis
close the rejected American plan to
the people of the United States. But
however that may be, the record in
dubitably will show that there was
an American plan and it was rejected i
for the British plan.
The record is further plain that the I
president brought back the British
plan and asked it's ratification with I
out change. But it is not the original
British plan that is now before the
American people. Under pressure of
criticism at home, criti-
ism springing chiefly from repub-
leans, many alterations were made
at Paris. The consensus of judg-
nent is strong that the amended and
reconstructed plan is vast improve
nent over the original draft.
The senate, therefore, will pass
Ipon a plan that is more creation
f the republicans than of President
wilson The administration would
ike to make it appear otherwise. 1t
would like to have republican
make party issue of the recon
tructed league constitution.
If the republican leaders are sa-
acious they will not walk into that
rap. If they are consistent they will h
Import the product of their con-
tructive criticism and pitch the issue s
n the record and the facts. Going
nus before the country they could
rove that /
A republican ex-president launched t
he movement that developed into {
'orld acceptance of the league of ma /
ons.
That the presidents plan whatever
was, was dropped at Paris. G
That the president brought back {
lie crude, Objectionable British plan i
nd urged it's adoption without sub /
antial amendment. t
And that the improved plan now
3fore the country is the result of T
instructive criticism by such repub- :
can leaders as Lodge and Root.
They could show the two plans in !
,ntrast. One the unsatisfactory,
angerous draft which the president
and which would have
zen adopted but for fearless, con-
ructive criticism at home. The
her the amended, reconstructed plan
at will now go before the senate
,okesman Review.
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