The sun., 1919-07-30

TELEPHONE BEEKMAN 1900.
TAe Presidents Message Conesrnins
the Proposed Treaty WITH France.
There are these three features Of
President wnsoE's message about
The separate treaty with France which
greatly impair Its force as cogent
and coherent statement In justifica-
= zion, IL they do not deprive Il alto
gether Of title to respect in the quar-
ter. to which It Is addressed:
- /. The first defect Is constitutional.
The Executive has no warrant for
submitting and the Senate has no
power to ratify treaty which by
its own terms Is made subject TO the
approval of the Council Of. the League
Of Nations The League Of Nations
does not exist 80 far as the United
'States Is concerned. But IL it had al
ready, been erected, with the United
States Government as a party to 1t,
the constitutional objection to this
provision would be equally prohibit
tive: For our Constitution recog-
nizes only two. partners in the bust
ness Of making treaties for the United
states Of America, namely, the Ameri-
can Executive and the American Sem
ate. President Wnsor's treaty with
France introduces and recognizes a
third partner. entirely alien to our In
stitutions, namely, council composed
Of the representatives of foreign Gov
ernments; and upon this foreign body
unknown to our Constitution, 1t at
tempts to confer superior authority
and the ultimate power insthe making
of our treaties: Not the ratification
OF rejection by the United States, or
the proclamation or failure to pro-
claim by the President of the United
States, but the approval or disap-
prevail Of the Council of the League
Of Nations validates or invalidates
the proposed agreement with France.
The abrogation of that agreement is
likewise taken away from the consti-
z tutionai authority for such abroga-
ton and vested in "the Council Of the
League. acting, IL necessary, by a ma.
jority vote" The idea Is intolerable
TO any American intelligence which
does not derive Its notions OF consti-
tutionai procedure from voices In the
air and Its policies In international
transactions from the reckoning fin-
gers Of visions on the horizon.
- 2. The second defect is sentimental.
All that Mr.. WILSON now says about
this republics gratitude to France
for assistance In our Revolutionary
war. and Its immutable friendship for
France, and Its abiding willingness to
aid and serve France In case of need,
rs, as true as gospel, when detached
from his present motive for saying IT..
But the reminder OF our debt to
France and our duty to her when she
10 in distress or danger comes with
grotesquely poor grace from the Pres
ident who, when Frances distress was
greatest, her danger most imminent,
addressed to his fellow counrymen "a
solemn word Of warning to you
against that deepest, most subtle. most
essential breach OF neutrality which
may spring out of partisanship, out
.'of passionateiy taking sides. The
United States" continued Mr., WIZ
SON, at time when emphasis on our
obligations and gratitude to France
was not indicated BY the opportunities
of his personal policy, must be men.
trail in fact rs well as In name during
these days that are to try mems souls.
We must be impartial In thought as
well as In action, must put curb
upon our sentiments ms well as upon
every transaction that might be con-
strued as q preference Of one party to
the struggle before another" with
the memory yet fresh OF that attempt
TO hold even the scales. as between
frgendship for France and friendship