Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1919-07-26
Hear Japs Prepare Standings Return
HAZE SETTLES
| OVER SENATE'S
LEAGUE FIGHT
Lines of Controversy Not
Clearly Drawn-Re-
pubs in MIDDLE.
BY DAVID LAWRENCE.

Something of a haze seems to have
settled over the League of Nations
controversy but before many days
the country will see clearly the is
sues between the contending fac
tions here. For on both sides action
will have to be taken to show the
lines of cleavage. The outsider gets
the impression that it is merely a
matter of agreeing on phraseoIogy.
Really the issue is deeper than that.
1t is matter of how much can be
inserted in the treaty or stricken
from it which will not cause the
whole document to be thrown into
conference against the same before
another 10 days is passed. Italy Will
follow suit. Germany has ratihed.
America alone of the great powers
is engaged in a controversy over
changes. Former President Taft
has laid the trouble at the door of
party politics and has offered sug-
gestions whereby the Republican
party might be freed from the
burden" of defeating the treaty.
Taft Doesn't Help Matters.
Mr.. Taft's letters haven't helped
matters much. They have displeased
the Democrats and friends of the
league and they are exultingly
f1ourished by opponents of the
league as a sign of victory for their
side. 1t was plainly not intended by
Mr. Taft that his letters should be-
come public at this time if at all.
Although addressed to Will Hays,
chairman of the Republican nation
al committee, the letters were oD-
viously confidential. Certain sem
ators who must be nameless for the
present gave copy of both the Taft
letters to the Associated Press.
Republicans Are Divided.
But the Taft incident demon
strates more clearly than anytn:ng
which has preceded that from a
strategic point of view the Re-
publicans are in a weaker position
than the Democrats. The Repub-
licans are making speeches against
the treaty and the attack comes
from all directions. No concrete
resolution setting forth the Repub-
lican viewpoint has been drafted.
Senator Knox presented one resolu-
tion to separate the league from the
peace treaty. That is still pending,
but as good as dead. Senator Root
outlined another program. Mr.. Taft
has come forth with another. Until
the Republicans get together on a
definite set of reservations, their
position will appear to be merely
that of seeking to defeat the treaty
as a whole and the Democrats will
take advantage thereof.
Democrats Working Together.
AS for the Democrats and Presi-
dent Wilson, they are standing to-
gether. Talk there has been of per-
sonal antipathy between the lead
ers of the party and the individual
senators but the Democrats are
working together even better as
minority party in the senate than
when they had a majority. But even
the Democrats are suffering with
public opinion outside of Washing
ton, judging by reports which reach
here. The country is represented as
seeing no objection to clarifying
those clauses which are doubtfully
phrased or ambiguously worded. |
Nor can the president offer any OBJ /
lection ultimately to interpreta-
tions. But the line must soon be /
drawn between clarifying language |
and obstructive reservations. The |
point at which an Interpretation be-
comes an amendment is not so diff |
ficuIt to ascertain as it might seem.
Language saying exactly what is |
meant by the Monroe doctrine |
which is already mentioned in the |
treaty would be a clarifying inter /
probation.
Language saying the United |
States would be bound only 10 years |
by article 10 which guarantees the
fixed by the treaty of
peace would be limiting reserva-
ton tantamount to an amendment.
The consent of the other powers
would be required before Americas 4
limitation would be accepted as
valid.
Is Problem for G. o. p.
The chances are that European
powers would want to negotiate
further concerning fundamental
President Wilson mas
told senator's this would delay
American ratification of the peace
.reaty indefinitely. So the situation
IN a nutshell seems to be that while
The Republicans may be busy try
ng to agree on program that will
seem to get them out of political
1ole such as Mr.. Taft describes, it
s a Republican dilemma and not
Wilson problem. On the other hand,
t is Mr.. Wilson's obligation to c:ar-
fy doubtful phraseology and meet
such as are made by Sen
ator Capper of Kansas who wants a
clarifying clause added saying saat
Lrticle 10 doesn't supersede the
of the United States
With respect to the warmakfng
powers of congress. Brazil has 'yhe
iame constitutional difficulty and
IN explanatory paragraph would
lot be objected to by the European
,owers as they have already been
informed at Paris of these constItu-
ionaA provisions which must be
(Gontinued on Page Fourteen.) II