Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1919-10-26
RESERVATIONS BIND
PRESIDENTS HANDS
IyFORE|GN AFFAIRS
David Lawrence Asserts
Treaty Fight Is Executive
/ Legislative Battle.
BY DAVID LAWRENCE.


4 BY DAVID LAWRENCE.
. Legislators sometimes look ahead,
end sometimes they look backward.
tfoSSsof the reservations proposed in
fheenate to limit the participation
pr tN United States in a league of
tations entirely to the will of Con-
kresEare based upon experience with
Woodrow Wilson and his aggressive
fse Of the executive power But in
kpnipg at Mr.. Wilson. most of the
pay republican is likely to be Presi-
4Snt of the United States and every
fine he may want to do something
m foreign policy he will have to ask
ihe consent of Congress. possibly call
, especial session IL the congressman
Re away during the year. and much
Sf the advantage of prompt action
Chich Messrs- Roosevelt. Taft and
Cleveland found of potential strength
fT arguing or negotiating with other
powers will be lacking.
Years of Strife Reach Climax.
Something more than the mere tack
Ing .An of a series of reservations to
theieovenant of the league of nations
ts involved in the proposals which
have come from the Senate foreign
nelations committee practically re-
zIiri9g a joint resolution of Con-
Resasbefore marines could be landed
$nywAere in a dispute with any ma
Bon@Tor most of them will be MEM
frs pr the league-and practically
&sistfng that the sole power to han
Ge foreign policy shall be in the
4imax in many wears of strife be-
Eeen Congress and the executive
With reference to the use of the Army
md Navy and the conduct of foreign
relations Congress has been grow
mG Esstive for a decade. The demo-
velt< without consulting Congress.
took Panama" Thew continued their
e9MH}alnt when Mr.. Taft sent ma
mn to Nicaragua. On the entry of
Nj. Wilson to office the republicans
protested against the seizure of Vera
debUing a resolution. American
forces had taken possession. Also
th6 have since objected to the use
arines in Haiti and Santo Do
mSn4o. and it is a well known fact
that Gen. Pershing was sent into
Ns&5oo on a punitive expedition when
Wa attacked Columbus, n. NJ, and
9Wmrity of Congress was not asked.
ThSre may be much debate about the
sAx2lHg of American troops to ST.
many has been signed, or the landing
OF American marines on the Adriatic
because technically the United
St9eee is still in a state of war. but
there is no doubt that inside Congress
q dAtermined feeling to control at all
tf@ the use of military and naval
fofcSs has found expression here and
the6e In the dozen reservations tackled
0|the peace treaty as a condition
ofa4e Senate's ratification.
Complications Pointed Out.
AaE while aiming at specific cases
INF which they think the executive
power has not been properly used. the
see foreign relations committee
h9S zone to the other extreme in re-
streting the action Of the executive
AhRlptely nothing can be done, for
expWple, under the language of one
oRthe reservations, to help preserve
the.territorial integrity of any coun-
tsta.k Central or South America-all
of mich countries will be members
OF the league-without the consent
Of Congress. even though, to be sure,
pqnNf of the United states. So that
while insisting that no foreign ma
tiomshould interpret the Monroe doc
tfa the committee insists that no
American President shall be permit
teds hereafter to apply the doctrine
wlloot consent of Congress. This will
pr&& troublesome to many republi-
cxns who have always argued that
hemisphere was the ex-
cfu4Rye domain of the United States
arm Shat an American President could
send our fleet and it's marines any
WHINE in the North and South Atlantic
VIZ ut waiting for action by Con-
gSess. Now it will be possible for
democrats-for they will
sSHgd to the duties of obstruction
ju&EsAs soon as the republicans get
a President in the White House-to
a republican executive and
re{fe a vote of Congress before any
aAnerization is granted to use the
Army and Navy anywhere In any dis
p,a-with a member state Of the
1e0q4e of nations.
sxkecutive Stripped Of Power.
iS)de of these things were probably
intended by the republicans. but In their
anxiety to show their disapproval OF the
Mr.. Wilson made OF the ex-
ecr{1re power. they would. II q Roose-
iust7pce. Of even using his own discre.
tl0s-M applying the big stick to protect
interests abroad. The reser-
vatiOns now proposed practically state
thaSin all disputes hereafter with MEM
bs6f the league OF nations the chief
executive of the United States has vir-
tuaby no power and must get the con-
sanfzand approval of both houses of
Goes
6fniilarly an interesting situation has
arisAn with respect to the Monroe doc
tf9k itself. Under the terms OF one
reservation II is stated emphatically
that the United States will not submit
tn ADMIRATION or inquiry by the assem-