The Columbus dispatch. (Columbus, Miss.) 19??-1922, 1919-08-24

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Senator job sen sa. he TAI taksn
( it ON the hide 5an e..
The President al t Isl Il the
creates iDteTes. because ! had for
gotten IL. = tel the truth. but |
recognized it as soon as | read il.
Senator Johnson: . was the orig
inal plan?
Senator Borah questioned the pres
ldent at some length about the right
Of withdrawal from the league. The
president said his Interpretation was
that the council had no power to pass
on wlthdrawal of a nation or TO de-
eide whether it had fulfilled its obli-
cations
"The only restraining influence
would be the public opinion of the
world, said the president.
That, the president said, was the
view of the commission which draft
ed the league.
Senator Harding wanted to know
why if that was the view, the league
making provisos for the fulfllment
of covenants was put into the article
Merely as an argument to the con-
science of the nations, responded ths
president, adding that it merely
served notice that fulfllment of obli-
cations was obtained prior to with
drawal
If that were true. Senator Harding
said, he thought the language rather
a far-fetched provision.
Gapofn,. Maryn,Ia,. II.
other governments could not accept
interpretations by acquiescence.
The president thought there either
would have to be explicit acquies-
cence' or a stipulated time in which
the United States could know wheth-
er acquiescence was being even.
To Submit Changes to Germany
Any change in the treaty would
have to be submitted to Germany,
the president said in reply to Senator
Pittman.
Senator Lodge said it was his UNI
however, that any reser-
vations, which applied to the United
States rather than to the others,
would international practice be I'M
derstood as acquiesced in if other
5gnatories were silent.
Replying to Senator Lodge, the
president said he had not looked up
the authorities on the point, but felt
that in treaty involving so many
signatories reservations by others
would follow, and how the treaty was
TO work would be obscured. If Ger
many, for instance, remained silent
in regard to a reservation and later
it did not affect her, the
president thought her position could
not be justifably disputed
Senator Fall pointed out, however,
that as Germany was not a member
Of the league, changes in the cove
nant would not have to be submitted
10 her.
To that the president agreed, ad-
hitting freely that the point had not
occurred to him before
Replying to Senator Borah, the
president said the provision of article
X, under which signatories to the
league agreed to guarantee one an.
other against external aggression,
was only a moral obligation.
Senator Borah thought it would be
4 legal obligation The president
hought not. because there was in
,olved the element of judgment as to
whether territorial integrity or pO-
itical independence was being in
aided or impaired
Senator Borah wanted to know
What would happen if the actual facts
we're beyond dispute There would
hen be the legal obligation to apply
he automatic covenant The presi-
ent replied, but not a legal oblga-
trong the moral one.
To Have Complete Choice.
eve would have complete choice
s to the application of force said
he president, in answer to a further
uestion.
The act ~ contemplated as deemed
in case of war or threat
ned war, was also the president
a moral one.
The president did not approve of a
that the transcript of the
recess verbal be brought from Paris
nd laid before the committee, be-
ause every one had spoken with the
tmost freedom. Questions by Sem
tor McCumber developed there was
othing in the record to show what
apan considered "as soon as possi-
le."
We relied on Japan's good faith
l fulfilling that promise, said the
resident
Senator McCumber brought out
nat other nations had reserved resi-
entail and economic concessions in
hina.
Asked whether he thought Japan
ould be depended on to carry out
err promise in good faith, the presi-
ent replied: | have ever confidence
hat she will.
In answer to Senator Pomerene,
re president said that if the League
Nations came into being China
ould have its support for protec-
on of her rights. The papers in the
recess verbal, the president said,
Japan's agreement on
hantung he would preserve "as a
ublic trust" and where they could
3 made accessible" If necessary in