The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-06-18

| T8nt OF the SENATE TO auVibe tne Preel-
dent In the present negotiations as to
desirable. / must therefore assume that
no constitutional objection can be raised
The next clause Of the third resolu-
tion which requires our attention reads
that to this end the bringing OF an early
peace to all belliserents, the treaty shall
be SO drawn as to permit any nation to
reserve without prejudice to itself for
| further separate and full consideration
by It's people the question OF any League
Of Nations. that neither such an article
nor the exercise Of the rights reserved
hereunder, whether at the time OF sig
nature, the time Of ratification. or at any
other time. shall AFFECT the substance of
the obligations OF Germany and its CO.
belligerents under the treaty, nor the
validity Of signature and ratification upon
their behalf
| This clause Is designed to set out the,
diplomatic procedure. tho treaty mechan-
ism, by and through which we may be
able to secure without embarrassment to
| ourselves or to our allies, and without
advantage to our enemy, the time and
the opportunity to discuss the covenant
OF the League of Nations. Thus this In
the real crux Of the entire resolution.
Meaning of Final Words.
ITO proceed with the discussion of
| the resolution. i have been asked about
| the meaning OF the final clause OF para
graph 3. reading that any indlspensa BILE
participation by the United States In
matters covered by the league covenant,
pending the entry Of the United States
into the league, be accomplished through
diplomatic commissions which shall be
created with full power In the premises
4 N IN nta
1t should De the duty OF the United
States as one OF the cobelliserents and
| a party to the treaty Of peace to COOP
crate with the other cobelligerents to en-
force any Of the terms OF peace that
would require our cooperation as q CO.
signatory. and IL by the terms Of the
treaty there IL delegated to the League
OF Nations any function, in respect to
such terms. that should require the CO.
operation of the United States, then un-
der this resolution our country's CO.
operation with the league would be ac-
complished through a commission or
other diplomatic agency which is wholly
in accord with existing international
usage.
"As to the whole Of the third para
graph, 1 admit that the course proposed
would result in a separate consideration
and treatment OF the peace terms as dis
tlnguished from the covenant of tho
league. but in explanation and as sum-
cient justification adopt as quite ads-
quate the statement of an unnamed
American delegate 20 the Peace Confer
ence who $50 reports the Associated
Press), In replying to an inquiry why the
covenant of the League OF Nations had
been published said that while the cove
nant was part OF the treaty II does not
actually deal with the terms OF peace4 and
consequently is essentially OF q different
Character
II submit that to this point I have
demonstrated, first, that the only issue
| reached by this resolution is whether or
not the treaty should be SO drawn that
without interfering with the terms and
| the making of peace, we shall have full
opportunity to deliberate upon the cove
nant OF the League of Nations. That
the resolution offered with the view to
bringing such n situation about. is sound
and accurate in Its recitals that IL sets
forth as to the ends and purposes Of the
| war only what the Congress has declared
liz its exclusive authority: that It lays
down a fundamental constitutional prin-
ciple by which the people of the United
States have declared that we must act in
our treaty making capacity: that 1t Of
fers to the Executive as to the conclu-
sion OF an early peace, advice in strict
accord with the Senate's constitutional
prerogatives: and that II points out a
definite way by which the end sought,
elaboration upon the covenant provi-
sions, may be facilitated.
''In this view the only question re-
naming for our consideration Is whether
or not the covenant for the League of
! Nations contains any provisions requir-
ing that maturity OF thought and DELHI
GRAFTON for which an opportunity is by
this resolution requested
League of War Feared.
IN a certain aspect the answer 10 this
question Is not without difficulty When
the covenant in its original form was
first proclaimed to the American people
1t was heralded by its proponents as a
plan for the organization OF a great
world state which was to compel the
obedience not only OF its constituent
members. but of all others who might he
outside and beyond it's pale. We were
told Armed force Is In the background
OF this programme. but II Is in the back
ground, and II the moral force OF the
world will not suffice. the physical force
OF the world shall But that Is the la ct
resort. because this is intended as a con-
stitution Of peace. not as league OF
war
But when the people OF the United
began calmly to consider the plan pro-
posed and to look beneath the unctuous
phrases in which II was couched, some
apprehension began to be felt that pos
sibly after all there was a legitimate
question as to whether this was "A Con-
stitution OF peace, not n league
OF. war and I myself had the honor
OF pointing out that in this alleged
instrument OF peace war was legalized
in seven cases and made compulsory in
three. The result OF these investigations
and discussions by those who had no
personal or selfish ends or ambitions
TO servo by an advocacy OF the league,
caused its proponents to veer in their
course. and they then began to speak
OF the league as a purely deliberative
organization without any considerable
administrative or executive powers In
deed, so far did these expressions go
that one could believe the covenant
created nothing but a debating club in
which eloquent members might exhibit
to an adnairing world their forensic or
other abilities At the same time an i'm
preston was insinuated into the minds OF
the people that IL and in 80 far as the
covenant failed TO provide for such an
organization, 1t would be 20 amended
as to insure II. In other words, while
the plan had been heralded to the war
sick peoples Of the world as a guarantee
that war should come no more. 1t was
now proclaimed as a society in which
men might deprecate the horrors OF war
"Of course. II the proposed plan is
not what Its terms on their face would