Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1919-08-20
WILSON TALKS
PEACE treaty
WITH SENATE
Declares League Of Nations
Covenant Imposes No
Moral Obligations for
Use of Military.

on Japan's proposal for racial
equality clause in the league cove
nant he said he could not disclose
'in the interest of international good
understanding and for the same
reason he said he could not go into
the negotiations over the French
frontier or give the committee a
copy of the record of Japan's Shan
tung promise.
Early action on the treaty was
urged in a statement by the presi-
dent at the outset of the conference
This was necessary, he held, so that
a peace basis might be reached and
the other treaties under negotia
tons now at Versailles were being
delayed until the world learned wha:
would happen to the treaty with
Germany. He said he saw no rea-
sonabfe objection to senate reserva-
tons. but thought it unwise to in
corporate them in the ratification it.
self.
Moral Obligation Superior.
In reply to a long series of ques-
tons by Senator Brandegee, repub-
lican, Connecticut, the president
was led into an exhaustive discussion
of the commingling of moral and
legal obligations in treaties.
"a moral obligation" said Mr.
Wilson. is, of course, superior to a
legal obligation, and if | may say SO
has a greater binding force. In
every moral obligation there is all
element of judgment; in legal OBJ
legation there is no element of judg-
ment."
Senator Brandegee suggested
there pera no important distinctions
because we are obligated in any
event"
II think it is of the greatest i'm
portance,' replied the president, be
cause of the element of judgment
enters into it,"
Indifferent to Foreign Criticism.
But I am ASSUMING" returned
Mr.. Brandegee, If the council
should advise US to do a certain
thing and congress refused to do it,
and if every other nations repre-
sentative assembly can do the
same thing, it seems to me like a
rope OF sand and not an effective
tribunal, which would result in pro-
noting peace"
The reason | do not agree with
YOU Mr.. Wilson replied. lis that |
do not think such a refusal would
likely often occur. believe it would
be only upon the gravest grounds
and in case congress is right. | am
indifferent to foreign criticism"
Senator Harding, republican,
Ohio, said there was no necessity
of written compact for this re-
public to fulfill its moral obligations
TO civilization" to which the presi-
dent reioined:
But 1t steadies the whole world
by its promise beforehand that it
will stand with other nations of
similar Judgment to maintain right
in the world"
When Senator Brandegee asked
the presidents opinion on the con-
crete case of the present trouble
between Roumania and Hungary,
the president said he could not an
swer- because that would involve
passing judgment on foreign pol
itical question in a way he consld
cred inadvisable.
Authorities in Disagreement.
Senator Brandegee also called at
tention that many authorities on i'll
ternational law had differed as to
the meaning of various provisions
of the treaty and that Charles E.
Hughes, William Howard Taft and
Elihu Root had suggested reserva-
tons, but the president insisted that
he thought it perfectly safe to leave
the present language to the interpre-
tation of future statesmen without
fear that the United States would
suffer by their construction.
When Senator Fall, republican,
New Mexico, suggested that any
amendments to the league covenant
would not require Germany's assent
is it was not a member OF the
league, the president replied he
HSFCi ildu tiiouShl VI tAot iSotoi S'
He disagreed with Senators Bran
degee and Knox, republican, Penn
sylvania, who asserted that the
treaty would come into force among
all the signatories as soon as three
had ratified it.
For more than three hours the
committee members questioned the
president and afterward they stayed
for lunch at the White House.
When the recess was taken there
had been no discussion whether the
meeting was to be resumed during
the afternoon, but later it was de-
cided not to do so. There was no
intimation tonight whether the COM