Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1919-07-24
MR.. TAFT WILLING TO FAVOR
RESERVING INTERPRETATIONS
Gives General Approval to Proposals Re-
garding Article 10, Monroe Doctrine
and Domestic Questions.

conscfences through reassuring in
terpretations Of the league, of such
character that they are likely to
be accepted without further nego-
tiation and conference and delay by
the other nations who dictated the
peace. After consideration of the
arguments made on the subject I
have formulated these interpreted
tons and reservations. with the hope
That they will suggest a basis of
agreement between the democrats
and sufficient republicans to ratify
the treaty and secure us the inestma-
bic benefit of a league of nations
which will be the foundation for
growth and development into a new
era in our international relations.
tor Borah, Senator Johnson. Senator
Sherman and others to defeat the
treaty, and the deliberate exaggera-
ton of the Shantung feature of the
treaty, do not, 1 think, indicate the
a1f1tude Of the majority tSs Ssn of the re-
do not think that any attention
should be paid to the suggestion
that the treaty be amended in it's pro-
visions with reference to the re-
arrangement of the map of the region
of the war.
Favors Adoption as Treaty Stands.
To repeat. I am strongly in favor
of ratifying the treaty as it is. Were
to vote for it. but the situation may
require concession to secure ratifica-
ton. and l suggest what 1 have al
ready sent to you, copy of which
inclose. as something that will Sc
cure a useful league of nations, which
same time may satisfy the genuine
objections of the republican friends
Of the league in the Senate.
Coming now to specific interpreta-
tions. it seems to me that the first
achieves all that the craftsmen Of the
thus interpreted relieves that clause
from possible construction by
which the actual withdrawal on two
years notice might be greatly him
dered through the claims of the
other members of the league.
As to Representation in League.
The second Interpretation has to do
with the presence in the league, as
members. of self-governing domin-
m nH "a also e''1 member. "V Certainly ke in
a small body like that of the
council. it would be unfair to
have home government rep
resented and also one of it's domin
IONS or colonies, ana L cannot tnlnK
it as the intention of the trainers of
the covenant that this might happen.
Yet I am bound to say that such a
result is not excluded by the present
language of the covenant in article
x and article "; nor does the Ian
guage Of article XIV necessarily ex
clude from the tribunal to recon-
mend settlement of a dispute a
home government where one of its
dominions or colonies is a party; nor
does it necessarily exclude a domin
ion or colony from such tribunal
where the home government may be
a party; yet I have no doubt that
both Of these exclusions were intend
ed by the trainers of the covenant.
Nor is there any express description
of the function to be performed by
the council of the assembly under
article XIV SO as to require that it
should act judicially and according
to international law or equity and
justice. I have no doubt that it was
intended that the language Of the
preamble should characterize. the
function of the duties of the council
or assembly under article XIV, and
therefore that the language I have
introduced in the second interpreta-
ton is merely giving expression to
that which ought to be inferred as
the intention of the trainers of the
covenant. I may say that it sup
plies that which Mr.. Root forcfbly
represented as a defect of the COW
opant