Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1919-09-13
ALL MUST CONSENT
# SENATE INSISTS,
PRESIDENT CLAIMS

Would Deem It His Duty to
Reopen Conference-Sug-
gests Resolution.
by DAVID LAWRENCE.
Special Dispatch to The Star
EN- ROUTE WITH PRESIDENT
WILSON TO TACOMA. Wash. Septem-
Der 13.-Presidenr Wilson has come TO
the climax of his speech making tour.
He has stated with a tone bordering
ON finality that he shall deem it his
duty to reopen the peace conference
if the Senate insists on qualifying the
terms of the peace treaty with condi
lions or reservations. He told his
Idaho audience that reservations put
into the ratifying resolution itself al
tered the treaty to such an extent that
the consent of all the powers who
signed the pact at Paris, including
Germany. would have to be secured
before the conditions put into the
document by the United States Senate
could be considered as a part of the
treaty itself.
Permanent Orders Suggested.
TIE President put himself on record
as not objecting ito any reservations
or interpretations which We're ems
bodied .in q separate resolution-by
Congress and which he said consti-,
tuted a notice to all powers of the
way Americas vote in the council of
the league OF nations would be ex-
erctsed hereafter. In view of the fact
that without the vote of the Units
States no decision on the part of the
leagues council can be effective, as
a. unanimous vote is required unless
America is party to the dispute. the
| President believes separate resolu-,
ton could be adopted by Congress
amounting to a permanent instruction
to Americas delegate at the peace
conference.
This is a new way of looking at the
effectiveness of reservations that are
not made a part Of the ratifying reso-
| luton itself.
The President argues against res
ervations that alter the body of the
| treaty on the ground that the sub
stance of all the suggested reserva-
| lions except those that mean to re-
| ject the whole treaty are covered in
| language of the pact.
Criticisms Of Reservations.
| Perhaps the speech at Helena,
Mont, was the best summary Mr.. Will
! son has yet given of his reasons for
| opposing reservations. In effect. he
says this:
First. 1t is unnecessary to say that
the United States shall be the sole
judge of whether or not she has full
! filled her international obligations be-
| fore withdrawing from the league on
| two years notice because the cove
nant of the league doesn't give the
| council of the league or any other
nation the right to say when any ma
/ ton has fulfilled it's obligations. 1t
| leaves that to the conscience Of each
nation and the opinion of the world.
Second. The Congress Of the United
States is just as free under article x
to refuse to declare war as it always
has been. In any emergency, he says,
! the most the council can do is to adj
wise what steps shall be taken to
make other nations behave. and no
steps can be taken without a unani-
nous agreement. and Americas repre-
| sentative, under strict instructions
| from the American people. could not
vote to advise war unless the Con-
gress of the United States has so re-
| solved; in other words. Americas rep
resentative could be prevented by law
of Congress from voting to advise war
until the will Of Congress has been
otherwise. If the United States is a
! party to the dispute. says Mr.. Wilson.
/ 1t is no better, off than under the old
system for being excluded from vot-
ing in the council; it can after nine
month period of discussion decide to
declare war or not to- secure respect
for invaded rights. Already the
United States is bound by the Bryan
treaties to wait twelve months In dis
putes it may have with any of thirty
principal nations of the globe.
Third. AS for the Monroe doctrine,
the President says the whole world
now recognizes the doctrine and that
the covenant specifically says nothing
in the treaty or league shall be con-
sidered as invalidating such regional
;trine." Inasmuch as America alone
shows what the Monroe doctrine is,
he thinks the United States alone can
interpret it. He thinks it is suffi-
GENTLY covered in the treaty already.
| Domestic Questions.
Fourth. With respect to mentioning
domestic questions like the tariff and
immigration, the President points out
the council from interfering in domes-
tic questions or making reports on
domestic disputes. To enumerate the
tariff and immigration is, in his opin-
ion, making list Of special questions,
and that is dangerous because some
domestic questions might be omitted
and America would not want to give
the impression that all domestic ques-
tions except the tariff and immigra-
ton might possibly be considered
within the jurisdiction of the council.
.The mention of one thing" remarks
the President. lis often the exclusion
of other things"
Fifth The Presidents explanati ton
: of the Shantung provision is that to
! take Shantung from japan, who now is
in possession of it, means war with
Japan and France and Great Britain
The last two countries are bound by
solemn treaty entered into before the
Paris conference took place whereby
they are pledged to give Japan the
! rights enjoyed by Germany. Mr.. vii.
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