Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1919-08-20
OF. NATIONS.
COMPROMISE is ON
Process of AssimiIating Dr.
vergent Views Follows Quiz
at White House. ~.
"WARS STILL POSSIBLE"
BY DAVID LAWRENCE.

BY DAVID LAWRENCE.
Anybody who expected the repub-
lican senators who rave been oppos-
ing President Wilson's IDEAS on the
league of nations to be overcome at
once by the spell of presidential per-
suasion was doomed to disappoint-
ment Anybody who thought SEN
ators would emerge. from the White
House conference and issue state
wrong in their speeches of the last
few weeks and that Mr.. Wilson was
right doesn.t Understand senatorial
psychology or the reverence with
which the congressional mind holds
consistency and infiexibility.
But whilst senators of the foreign
relations committee were going
around the Capitol today saying they
hadn't gotten bit of information.
whilst other senators were wadins
reading matter on the presidential
quiz OF the day before, and whilst
sundry statements were being issued
saying not vote had been changed
and not an opinion previously held
had been shattered. nevertheless. one
who watches senatorial maneuvers
from year to year took with a grain
of salt all these utteranees and could
not but conclude that President Will
sons offer of a compromise would
eventually be accepted,
Brought Out One Thing.
The debate brought out just one
thing-that lawyers can't agree on
what the treaty means and that Ian
guage doesn't mean the same to two
sets of minds. when one set,zis re-
publican and the other is democratic.
Congress every day makes laws and
puts language into them which pro-
duees lawsuits galore for generations
to come. Mr.. Wilson admits that
there may be different interpretations
today of Americas future obligations
under the proposed treaty. But he
says to the Senate, "Adopt a separate
resolution emboaying your under
standings"
To the suggestion that Mr.. Wilson's
verbal assurances today and his pri-
vate records and conversations with
the other delegates at Paris would
not be binding upon future ministries
and parliaments and that without an
explicit record thereof, a dispute may
easily arise as to what was said, the
President offers a solution.
He says the joint resolution adopted
to accompany the peace treaty but not
as a part of the act of ratification
would be preserved for years to come
and would always be a basis for flu
ture policy by the United States. Dis
putes might arise in which other ma
tons seek to compel the United States
to pursue policies which senators to-
day are apprehensive they may want
us some day to pursue-such as deep
ENHANCEMENT in European affairs
but. first. there is arbitration. and, Sec
ond. there is the supreme power of
the American Congress o express Its
will and register its moral judgment.
If the world thought the United States
unmoral-which Mr.. Wilson believes
never could happen-then friction
might develop which would produce
war.
May Still Lead to War.
He admits that disputes may still
lead to war. but he thinks the league
reduces the chances of bloodshed and
makes remote the necessity for armed
conflict by substituting an assurance
of concerted power.
Many senators frankly disagree
with Mr.. Wilson's optimistic outlook.
They do net see all the nations re-
naming in the same moral union as
see commercia1 rivalry and an era of
selfishness Mr. Wilson says the
league Of nations would apply the
brakes to ,thet-and ii 1t. failed the
was before 1914. He pleads for some
experiment. however untried. as q
means of at least endeavoring to. keep
the big powers together for the pro-
lection of all the world.
With the Wilsonian philosophy most
senator's had been familiar. but they
were frankly amazed at the mental
agility of Mr.. Wilson and his skill In
word fencing. Both sides displayed
the finest courtesy. The spirit of good
feeling was In contrast to the per-
sonal animus which 1t has been al
opposition to the treaty and league
Men who have been reported as In
violent hate sat down at the same fes-
tive board and snapped stories. And
Mr.. Wilson, who has kept himself
too much in aloofneB, didn't suffer
from the. revelation Of his personality
as . host.
Republicans Will Not Delay.
where doeS II leave, the treaty and
league? There were opinions galore
mo uniformity of expression at the
Capitol. 1t win take few days for
the full effect of the presidential de-
bate on the country to get back here.
But the republicans will not delay
much longer. They will adopt def
mite line of action.
They may be compelled to by the
aggressive tactics of the democratic
minority. And sin.ethe end they will
be found sratifying the treaty as 1T
stands SO as not to reopen interna-
ti0nai negotiations. But accompany
ing the treaty they will pass a joint
resolution, possibly submitted to the
House of Representatives as well. In
that resolution would be embraced
everything that the Congress want
ed to say-frOm a disapproVal of the
Shantupg settlement to definite in
struction to future representatives of
the United States In the league of
nations concerning their obligation
to refer back ta Congress for final
decision every question involving the
use of armed forces of our country.
Some senatorial leaders who didn't
wish to. be publicly quoted insisted in
private that they were going ahead
with their plans to put qualifications
in the ratifying resolution itself. But
il is hardly expected they will take
tho political risks involved. For If
Mr. Wilson believes he is morally
obligated to- submit to Germany and
the allied powers reservations that are
put into the Fafifying resolution he un-
doubtedly will do it. And the response