The sun., 1919-07-17
Fight IL Out on This Line II It
Takes All Summer!

Takes All Summer!
It Is vitality important that the ad-
vocates Of the Presidents League Of
Nations should not succeed in mis-
leading the people into the belief that
its opponents are hostile to any con-
sututional and practical arrangement
that will be conducive to the proven:
ton Of war. Very many American
citizens who would never consent to
the abandonment Of the Monroe Doc
trine or the yielding by millimeter's
breadth of any portion of American
sovereignty and independence In the
conduct Of our foreign relations are
Just as deeply concerned for the peace
Of the world as Is the most enthusi-
astically idealist supporter Of the
original Wilson programme. Many of
these Americans, opposed outright to
the Objectionable features of the cove
nant which the President wants the
Senate to accept untouched. would be
glad to see a league Of nations estab-
lished as an experiment in the inter-
est Of peace provided that We could
enter such a league and participate
In such an experiment without the
sacrifice of that which is more pre-
dous to our republic and Its people
even than peace itself.
This is the plain truth of the mat
ter, although 1t has been the trick Of
the President and Of some of his
spokesman In the Congress and in the
newspaper press to represent any OBJ
lection to any entangling feature Of
the proposed covenant as opposition
to any sort Of international coopera-
ton, whether styled league Of ma
lions or otherwise labelled, for max
ing more probable the preservation of
peace and more difficult the beginning
Of war. Such an organization has
always been the legitimate hope Of
millions in this country and else
where. There Is nothing objection,
able in the mere name of League OF
Nations. There was nothing objec-
tionable In the name OF the Hague
Tribunal. What is Objectionable. is
the employment of the name to cover
a compact destructive Of the indie
pendence of the United States.
ELIHU Roor, one Of the foremost
of American statesmen, has pointed
out how our independence may be
preserved without rejecting the League
of Nations In its entirety. Other
plans for safeguarding our traditional
policy and our freedom of action in
foreign affairs will doubtless be sug-
gested during the consideration OF
the treaty by the Senate. There will
be little objection among the people
to the acceptance Of league of ma
lions which does not submerge any
part Of Americas sovereign control OF
her own affairs and does not shackle
American independence and freedom
of action, or involve US in foreign en-.
terprises which are not our concern
This is what The SUN has believed
from the beginning.
The chairman of the Republican
National Committee, in his statement
= published yesterday, has effectively
indicated the character of the reser,
vations which must safeguard our In
dependence from the destructive proc
ess contemplated by President VII,
son in the original scheme he pre-
sented at Paris as Americas demand
upon Europe and now brings bach
10 Washington as Europe's demand
upon America. Mr.. HAYS states the
minimum of the requirement from the
Republican leaders:
The reservations must protect Amer
lean sovereignty In every particular
They must guarantee the Monro,
Doctrine beyond the shadow Of g
doubt;
They must either eliminate Article
x. or so change Its provisions tha
our own Congress shall be morally
as well as legally free to continue Il
exercise the functions which the Con
stitution devolves upon 1t;
They must insure our full contro
of immigration, tariff and all othe
domestic policies;
They must enable us to quit tn,
League at any time, on suitable no
tice, as nm unconditional right.
The course TO be pursued by tn
Republican leaders in the Senate