Republican farmer., 1919-08-22
hose wrought by the war itself.

of the League of Nations: and I must Frankly say that l am unable to un- dorstand why such doubts should be entertained.
 ''T'he view of the United States with regard to the questions I have men toned. had. in fact. already been ac- cepted by tho commission and there was supposed to be nothing incon- slstent with them in the Jlraft of the covenant first adopted---the draft which was the subject of our discus sion in March---but no objection was made to saying explicitly in the text that all had supposed to be implicit in It. Thero was absolutely no doubt as to the meaning of any one of the re- suling provisions of the covenant in the minds of those who participated in drafting them, and I respectfully submit that there is nothing vague or doubtful in their wording.
 The right of any sovereign state to withdraw had been taken for granted, but no objection was made to making 1t explicit. Indeed, so, soon as the views expressed at the White House conference were laid be- fore the commission it was at once conceded that 1t was best not to leave the answer to so important ques- ton to inference.
 The Monroe Doctrine Is express ly mentioned as an understanding which is in no way to be impaired or interfered with by anything con- tatned in the covenant and the ex- pression regional understandings like the Monroe Doctrine was used, not because any one of the conferees thought there was any comparable agreement anywhere else in existence or in contemplation, but only be- cause 1t was thought best to avoid the appearance of dealing in such a | document with the policy of single nation. Absolutely nothing is con- cealed in the phrase.
 Article Ten is in no respect of doubtful meaning when read in the | light of the covenant as a whole. The council of the league can only lad wise upon" the means by which the obligations of that great article are to be given effect to. Unless the United States is a party to the policy or action in question, her own affirm ative vote in the council is necessary | before any advice can be given, for l unanimous vote of council is requir- ed. If she is a party, the trouble is hers anyhow. And the unanimous vote of the council is only advice in any case. Each government is free to reject it if 1t pleases. Nothing could have been made more clear to the conference than the right of our Congress under our constitution to exercise it's independent judgment in | all matters of peace and war. No ! attempt was made to question or | limit that right. The United States will, indeed, undertake under Article Ten to respect and preserve as | against external aggression the ter ritorial integrity and existing political | independence of all members of the | league" and that engagement con stituteS a very grave and solemn | moral obligation But it is a moral, l not a legal obligation, and leaves our | Congress absolutely free to put it's | own interpretation upon it in all 1 cases that call for action It is bind | ing in conscience only, not in law. Article Ten is to me to constitute | the very backbone of the whole cove l nant Without it the league would ] be hardly more than an influential | debating society,""
 | There can be no reasonable objec- tion to such interpretations accom- panying the act of ratification provid- ed they do not form a part of the | formal ratification itself. Most of 1 the interpretations which have been suggested to me embody what seems to me the plain meaning of the in strument itself But if such inter- pretations should constitute a part of the formal reason of ratification long delays will be the inevitable conse- uuence, inasmuch as all the many i governments concerned would have
 to accept, in effect, the language of the Senate as the language of the l treaty ratification would be com- 1 plete
 The assent of the German assem- bly at Weimar would have to be ob-
 tained among the rest. and I mus;
 frankly say that I could, only with
 the greatest reluctance approach that ] assembly for permission to read the 1 treaty as we understand 1t and as ! those who framed it quite certainly ! understood it. If the United States
 were to qualify the document in any
 way. moreover. I am confident from l what I know of the many conferences
 and debates which accompanied the
 formulation of the treaty that our
 example would immediately be fol- lowed in many quarters, in some in 1 stances with very serious reservations
 and that the meaning and operative | IOrcP or tne WOULD presently
 be clouded from one end of it's clauses
 to the other.
 Pardon me, MT. Chairman, if
 have been entirely unreserved and
 plain spoken in speaking of the great
 matters we all have so much at heart
 If excuse is needed, I trust that the critical situation of affairs may serve
 as my Justification. The issues that
 manifestly hang upon the conclusions
 of the Senate with regard to peace and
 upon the time of it's action are SC
 grave and so clearly insusceptible of
 being thrust on one side or postponed
 that I have felt it necessary in the
 public interest to make this urgent
 plea. and to make it as simply and a.
 unreservedly as possible.
 After the President had delivered his statement. Senator Lodge said:
 Mir. President. so far as I am per
 sonally concerned---and think
 represent perhaps the majority of the committee in that respect---we have mo thought of entering upon argu-
 ments as to interpretations or points
 of that character; but the committed was very desirous of getting infOrma- ton on certain points which seem not clear and which they thought infor- : nation would be of value to have in consideration of the treaty which