Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-08-19
SENA TORS
President Agrees
to interpretations

dent snid the action contemplated would
rest entirely on moral obligation.
Replying to Senator Fall. who sug
Hested that ms Germany was not
member of the league of nations,
amendments to the league covenant
would not be submitted to her. and she
i would not have to give her consent
the President said:
4 ~ will admit that that point had
not occurred to me. No. she would
not"
Disagrees With Lansing
Mr. Wilson said he disagreed with
the opinion given the committee by Sec
retary Lansing that Japan would have
signed the treaty regardless of whether
It contained the Shantung provision.
To query as to what sovereignty
Japan retained in Shantung the Presi
dent replied
''She has not retained sovereignty
over anything. | mean she has promised
not to. Senator Borah has asked
whether this understanding was oral
or otherwise I do not like to describe
the operation exactly IL il is not per
fectly discreet. As matter OF fact this
was technically oral. but literally writ
ten and formulated, and the formula
ton agreed upon.
When is the return to be made?'
asked Senator johnson.
THAT was left undecided but We
were assured at the time that it would
II be as soon as possible.
Did not the japanese decline to fix
any date?"
They did at that time. yes: but |
think it is fair to them to say they
could not at that time say when it would
be-"
Says Japan Won't be Master
Senator johnson asked whether the
economic privileges retained would not
give Japan "a fair mastery over the
province. The President replied that
while he did not feel qualified to judge,
he would regard that as IAN exasgera
ton view
In answer to Senator Knox the Presi :
dent said he believed a league Of ma
tions would have prevented japan from
spreading her influence as she has over
Manchuria and Korea.
Senator New thought Japan's promise
''indefnite' and comparable to Eng
lands occupation of Malta" The
President declined to comment on the
question, but added that Japan's agree
ment had been recorded in the daily
process verbal kept by the council o
four.
Lodge Questions President
After the President had delivered hi
statement, Senator Lodge said:
''Mr. President, so far as l am per
sonally concerned-and I think l rep
resent perhaps the majority of the com
mittee in that respective have n
thought of entering upon arguments a
to interpretations or points of that char
acter; but the committee was yer
desirous of getting information on Ger
7 tain points which seem not clear and o
which they thought information woul
be of value to have in consideration o
the treaty which they, | think ! ma
say for myself and others. desire t
hasten in every possible way,
Your reference to the necessity @
action leads me to ask one question.
we have to restore peace to the worl
1t is necessary, | assume. that ther
should be treaties with Austria Hun
gary, Turkey and Bulgaria. Thos
treaties are all more or less connccte
with the treaty with Germany. Th
question | should like to ask is. wha
the prospects are of receiving thos
treaties for action?'
German Treaty is Model
THE PRESIDENT-'I think it
very good, sir. and so far as | ca
judge from the contents Of the dispacche
from my colleagues on the other side c
h. of o1o Ia. I,,o - :
uncertainty as to what is going to hap
pen to this treaty.
This treaty is a model of the Others
] saw enough of the others before ] lei
Paris to know that they are bein
framed upon the same set of principle.
and that the treaty with Germany is tn
model. I think that is the chief ele
ment of delay. sir.
SENATOR LODGE They are no
regarded as essential to the cousidera
~ tion of this treaty."
VI THE PRESIDENT-"The are nc
regarded as such; no. Sir; they follo'
this treaty
IA SENATOR LODGE-"I do not kno,
about the other treaties, but the treat
with Poland, for example. has bee
completed?''
THE PRESIDENT - Yes, an
signed; but it is dependent upon th
treaty. My thought was TO submit
upon the action on this treaty."
Senator Lodge then asked whether til
President could show the committee tE
tentative league of nations drafts sub
mitted by Great Britain, France an
Italy.
Hasn't British Draft
THE PRESIDENT-'T would haV
: sent them to the committee with pleas
ure. senator, If I had found that ] ha
them. | took it for granted that
had them; but the papers that renal
in my hands remain there in a hapha2
ard way. | can tell you the charactt
Of the other drafts.
THE British draft was the only .9n
~ 'as | remember, that was in the form I
A definite constitution of a league. Tt
French and italian drafts were in II
form Of a series Of propositions layir
down general rules and assuming thu
the commission. or whatever body mac
the final formulatiohs, would build upo
those principles II they were adopted
They were principles quite consistei
with the final action
II remember saying to the committc
W when was here in March, have for