The sun., 1919-08-20
Unable to Understand Any
Doubts of Covenant,
He Says.
JAPAN'S COUP Barred
Nothing Vague or Doubt
full in Pact, According
to Executive.
U. S. INTERESTS DEFINED
Germany Must Accept League
Terms, President Tells
Senators.
U. s. INTERESTS DEFINED


WASHINGTON, Aug. 19.-President
Wilson to-day in person gave the full
est explanation he could to the Senate
Foreign Relations Committee on the
doubtful, haZy and Objectionable
points of the treaty of Versailles and
the League of Nations pact. In a
conference Unprecedented in Ameri-
can history the President submitted
himself to what amounted to cross
examination at the hands of sixteen
Senators for three hours and half,
answering freely all but few of the
hundreds of questions put to him.
While the press was excluded from
the actual conference, relays Of expert
stenographers rushed the verbatim
transcript Of the whole proceedings,
copies being supplied to the news
papers as fast as the stenographic
notes could be transcribed.
Throughout the conference all of
the amenities were carefully pre-
served by the President and by all Of
the Senators. Only Senators Shields
(Tenn.), Democrat, was absent from
the conference, being prevented from
attending. Senators Fall IN. M
and Williams (Miss.) pleaded other
important engagements and did not
remain at the White House as the
Presidents luncheon guests after the
! conference.
Beginning of Conference.
The conference began by the Presi-
dent reading statement setting forth
! again the plea that early ratification
of the treaty is enormously impor-
tant, that the country may return
again to normal conditions of life and
industry. He related the many mat
ters which in his opinion are held in
state of uncertainty pending this
action by the Senate.
Mr.. Wilson profesSed himself un-
able TO understand the doubts ex-
pressed about the proposed league.
All of the objections raised by the
Foreign Relations Committee of Con-
gress when the President was here for
week during February and March
were met, he said, in revising the
covenant in Paris.
Nothing in the league covenant is
vague or doubtful, the President as
serted. Each nation is left free to
determine what its obligations may be
If it decides to withdraw from the
league, he said.
Article Y, designed to call upon the
armed forces of the members Of the
league TO repel external aggression
against any one member, the Presi-
dent declared is moral and not
! legal obligation.
The President in his statement
went on record as being perfectly
willing to accept interpretations" OF
what language Of various parts Of the
treaty and the pact mean provided
they do not form part of the formal
ratification itself" interpretations or
amendments would necessitate long
delay and the assent of Germany be-
fore such ratification would be COM
plete, he held.
Bombardment of Questions.
Senators led by Chairman Lodge
| (Mass.) Immediately began the bonn
bardment of questions, which lasted
three hours and half. In the course
of this long examination these out
standing facts developed:
The President finally admitted
that as Germany was not a MEM
I ber OF the proposed League Of Ma
tions, amendments in the covenant
would not have to be submitted to
her and accepted, but that by later
entrance into the league Germany
would accept the terms of the cove
nant as then written.
| Agreement OF the other sigma
tories to the treaty to changes
made by the American Senate need
| not necessarily cause a reconven-
| ton of the Peace Conference, but
| that it could be accomplished
through diplomatic exchanges.
While the obligations upon tho
United States under Article Y. OF
the league covenant are moral and
not legal, the President believed
| it would be n serious practical
mistake" so to state in the ratify-
ing resolution.
The President knew nothing OF