The sun., 1919-07-26
A Mere Conjecture.

Inc iallure OF the PRESIDENT 10 SUD-
NIT to the Senate the text of the spe-
cial treaty of alliance with France
which he Negotiated, on the side, at
Paris is surprising in view Of the
fact that the fourth article Of that
special treaty provides that 1t shall
be- submitted to the Senate Eat the
same time as the Treaty of Versailles
is submitted to the Senate for its ad-
vice and consent to ratification
Perhaps President WILSON, with
that haziness of perception In matters
concrete which SO perplexes and ex-
asperates his early friend and faith.
full mentor Colonel GEORGE HARVEY
jnterprets Article ~. as meaning that
the special treaty will be simultane-
ously submitted If it gets to the Sen.
ate ut any time before final action on
the Treaty of Versailles. We can only
guess at the workings OF Mr.. VIII
SONS peculiar mind.
But his reluctance to submit the
special treaty, his disposition to put
off the unpleasant ceremony as long
as possible, may readily be understood
II we turn back to these noble utter
ances In his address at the Metro
politan Opera House on September
~, 1918. He was laying down the
programme of settlement:
There can be no leagues or alli-
ances or special covenants and I'M
derstandings within the general and
common family of the League of
Nations.
Special alliances and economic
rivalries and hostilities have been
the prolific source in the modern
world of the plans and passions that
produce war. 1t would be an insin-
cere as we'll as an insecure peace
that did not exclude them in definite
and binding terms
The confidence WITH which VEN
ture to speak for our people in these
matters does not spring from our
traditions merely and the well known
which We have always professed and
followed. In the same sentences in
which I say that the United States
will enter into no special arrange
ments or understandings with par
ticular nations let me say also that
the United States is prepared to as
sumo its full share Of responsibility
for the maintenance Of the common
covenants and understandings upon
which peace must henceforth rest.
I'VE still read wAsHINoToN's i'm
mortal warning against 'entangling
alliances with full comprehension and
an answering purpose. But only
special and limited alliances entan-
gle; and We recognize and accept the
duty Of new day in which we are
permitted TO hope for a general alli-
ane> which will avoid entanglements
and clear the air of the world for
common understandings and the
maintenance OF common rights"
That declaration against such spe
cial and limited and entangling al
Iiances as he has signed with Premier
CLEMENcEAU may not have required
to Mr.. WILSON'S mind until after his
return to Washington. He may have
picked up by the merest chance, q
printed copy of his forgotten speech
of ten months ago, or may have run
across the original manuscript while
overhauling the archives for material
with which to respond to the Senate's
request for documentary information
Or the resourceful TUMULTY may
have reminded him.
All this is conjecture. But certain
:. Is that any statesman with the ghost
of conscience might be expected to
hesitate about submitting the special
treaty with France after reading
again his own recent and positive
declaration that the United States
win enter into no special arrange
ments or understandings with par
ticuiar nations-and France, heaven
bless and prosper her Is very par,
ticular nation.