The sun., 1919-08-20

in this circumstance to act In that way
| or not.
Senator Hitchcock-In such a casa ths
council would only act unanimously ana
| our representative on the council OF
course would have to concur in any
advice given.
The Notwithstanding, we would
always in such case advise ourselves.
Senator williams-But u in such casa
Mr.. President, we concluded that the
| case provided for and prescribed had
arisen and that the extraneous attack
existed and that It fell within the terms
OF the treaty. then we would be untrue
| IL we did not keep our word?
Tho MISUNDERSTANDING.
Senator Borah-In other words then
that raises the question whether the de.
cision should come from the Congress Of
the United States or from one individual
| who sits in the council
Senator Williams-No, It does not. 1,
merely provides that when the council
| acts in accordance with the prescribed
terms and when We see that It has acted
then Congress will. as a matter Of faith.
keeping. act itself. and IL Congress does
not Congress will do a dishonorable
thing.
Senator Borah--Precisely SO, 30 that
one Individual has bound Congress.
Senator Hitchcock hope my cues
tion to the President will not be inter.
preted in that way. My question to the
President was whether the matter would
| even come before this country as the ad.
vice of the council until the American
representatives had concurred with the
other eight members of the council, and
after he had concurred 1t would then be
Up to Congress to decide.
The President-You are quite right,
Senator, and let me suggest that l fnd
nothing was more clearly in the con-
sciousness of the men who were discuss
ing these very important matters than
that most of the nations concerned had
popular governments. They were all the
time aware of the fact that it would de-
pend upon the approving or disappearing
state Of opinion of their countries how
their representatives in the council
would vote In matters of this sort, and
II IL inconceivable to me that unless the
opinion of the United States, the moral
! and practical judgments of the people
of the United States approved, the rep
fesentative of, the United States on the
council should vote any such advice as
would lead US into war.
=" I'm rdhCGs
Senator Borah-Mr. President. does
the special alliance treaty with France
which has been submitted to us rest upon
any other basis as to legal and moral
obligation than that of Article X. and
Article IL. which you have just de-
scribed?
The President-No, sir.
Senator Borah-That ia also as you
understand it, simply our moral obliga-
ton which we enter into with France?
The President-Yes.
Senator Johnson-May take the ex-
ample that was just suggested concern
ing the Balkan States and a possible
attack upon the new territories of Italy?
Assuming that that is a case of external
aggression by the Balkan State concern
ing the new territory that Italy has
acquired by the peace treaty. upon US
rests AZ compelling moral obligation 10
do our part in preventing that, does
there not?
The President-Yes.
Senator Johnson-And that compelling
moral obligation would require us to
use such means as would seem appro-
pirate, either economic or moral? Is
that not correct?
The President-Deemeda appropriate BY
whom? That is really the point.
senator JOnUSOH-oI course OeeIntu
appropriate for the purpose of prevent
ing and frustrating the aggression.
The northumberland by us appro-
PIRATE?
Senator Johnson assume of neces-
sity 1t would have to be deemed by US
to bind US as a compelling moral obl-
cation to prevent the aggression in the
case named.
The President-Yes.
Senator Bordh--I wish to ask some
questions in regard to the secret treaty.
do not feel as free about those matters
as / do about the league, because there
are certain things that I recognize may
not be entirely open for public considers
ton; but, nevertheless, in so far as w0
can, l should like TO know when the first
knowledge came to this Government
with reference to the secret treaties be-
tween Japan, Great Britain, Italy and
France concerning the German possess
sions in Shantung?
The PRESIDENT thought that Secre<
tary Lansing had looked that up and