New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1919-12-07
League of Free Nations AS
ISOLATION Offers Compro-
mise on Lodge Plans for
Changes in Peace Treaty
Several Are Modified
Finds Some Acceptable, but
Would Completely Re-
wise and Strike Out Others

Acceptance by President Wilson Of
certain reservations to the peace treaty
to insure it's ratification by the Senate
was urged at luncheon and confer
ence o. the League of Free Nations
Association at the Hotel Commodore
yesterday. Among those who adyo-
Gated this course was Ray Stannard
Baker, director of publicity for the
American delel alton at the Paris Peace
Conference. At the same time the
executice committee of the League Of
Free Nations Association made public
list Of modified reservations based
upon the fifteen reservations suggested
by the majority Of the Foreign Rela-
tions Committee of the Senate and
which has been submitted to President
Wilson. The suggestions also have
been forwarded to Senator Hitchcock,
Secretary Tumulty and Secretary OF
War Baker.
Statement to President
The statement forwarded to the
President In part follows:
I'VE believe that:
Reservation /. Should either be
stricken out or so modified as to lake
its acceptance possible by England
France and Italy merely by acuuies
cCnce.
Reservation 2. Is essentially inter.
pretative and therefore acceptable.
provided the words joint resolstiol
are substituted lor the words concur
rent resolution thus ms ArlAg Press
cent al participation in a..y move look
ing toward witndr wa! by the UNITED
States from the league.
'Res ervat4on B. We urge that this
reservation, with lne si.glt yerpsl
moo .tic"tions suggested by Senator
Hitchcock, pe accepted, or tnat for II
be substituted sne foMowlng: The
United States holds that nothing in
the treaty or the covenant sha. be
construed as authorizing interference
by .nv leag1e IN In.erna. revolutions,
or as preventing genuine rearess and
readjuslment oil boundaries, tarousl
orderly processes provided by the
league, at any time IN the future that
these may be demanded by the welfare
and manifest interest OF the peopie
concerned
FaYors Reservation 4
Preservation 4. Ought to be accepted
because 1T merely provides that Con
gies5 exercise its constitutional func-
lon In matter clearly within its jur-
lsc .ctlon.
Reservation 5. Its present form is
worded in such general terms as to
weaken the Whole covenant. If a ma
ton reserves to itself exc usively the
right to decide what que tions are
within its Jurisdiction it is free to
name practically any question which
ITS selflsn interests may dictate. 1t is
absurd, TOR instance, to say that com
merce, which is IN part international
can be wholly within our jurisdiction
Moreover, the general terms Of this
~ walton won prevent the United
States from protesting against or par
i~.."e .ne auo .,Inent of uni
vcrsaily condemned evils like the opium
traffic, the use of phosphorus in
matches (already subject to Joint pro
nibitive action by the principal ma
tions), the use Of slave labor or the
trade in goods resulting firm such La
Dor. This reservation ought. therefore
be redrafted.
Preservation g. In it's present form,
this reservation invests the Monroe
tic significance already ascribed to L
by our Central and South America y
sister republics. At the same time il
tends indirectly to encourage simila
assumptions of heeemony on the paIf
of the great powers in other portion
of the globe. 1t ought, therefore, be
redrafted so as to reaffrm the main.
tenance by the United States of thu
Monroe Doctrine as policy of pro.
tecting the territorial integrity and
political independence of the South anf
Central American safes against out
side aggression.
Substitute for 7
Preservation Tin its present form
/ this reservation probably could not b,
accepted by the Allies. The followin.
substitution would more effective',
tend to rectify the wrong done China
The United States accepts Article
1856, 1857, 1873 with the understardir
that it will press for the immedia
restoration of Kiao- Chau and the Ger
man concessions in Shantung to tn
Chinese Republic
Reservation SIS unoL jectionab,e
since it merely guarantees 20 Congres
participation in the determination G
the method Of appointment and power
of American representatives on the Va
rious commissions provided for by tn
treaty. One change in phraseolog
should, however, be made. AS it nov
stands, an American citizen could no