The Columbus dispatch. (Columbus, Miss.) 19??-1922, 1919-08-24

W A0DAtAlO4Ns aug. Aa.-FEcSl
dent Wilson, interpreting the League
of Nations covenant today for the
senate foreign relations committee
declared ii imposed no legal obliga-
ton for the use of American military
force in protecting the territory OF
independence of any other nation.
But he added that the covenant
might involve, in certain circum-
stances, an absolutely compelling
moral obligation" which might be
even stronger than a legal promise.
Pressed for more exact defini-
ton by committee members who in
sisted that the whole arrangement
was "a rope of sand" he asserted that
on the contrary he considered it as
placing the nations in ian attitude
Of comradeship and protection" which
would compel respect for the prin-
ciples Of justice and liberty.
Meeting the committee in a round
table discussion in the East room of
the White House in contradiction to
the precedents of more than a CEN
fury, and with the whole nation
listening through the medium of a
relay of public stenographers, the
president went into many of the de-
tails of the peace negotiations and
touched on all the hotly debated
questions which have divided the
senate in its consideration of the
peace treaty.
Article ten of the covenant, guar
anteeing the integrity of league
members against aggression, he de-
clared would leave to each nation
complete freedom of choice as to the
application of force.V Even if the
American representatives on the
council joined in an unanimous
recommendation for military action
the final decision for peace or war
must rest so far as it concerned the
United States, with congress. he said
Appropriated Action Defined.
Whatever advice the council gave
under its authority to take such &C
ton as is deemed appropriate" must
also be deemed appropriate by the
United States and to be binding on
this government, he argued though
in the background would be such a
potential moral force that he doubted
if the nation would often decline to
act
The president revealed that ia
pans promise to return Shantung
province to China was reduced to
written form in the minutes of the
peace conference. He asserted he
had every confidence that the prom
Use would be carried out and told the
senators it was "the best that could
be got out of the negotiations, ia
pan having given notice she would
withdraw from the conference if her
demands were refused The Ameri-
can delegates, he said, had tried to
keep the nation free from obligations
in European affairs $50 far as it was
honoralby possible to do So" but he
assented that it might be necessary
to keep some American troops in the
Rhine district under the treaty for
the next fifteen years
Each Nation to be Judge.
He declared the nation would be
its own sole Judge whether its obi
cations had been fulfilled under the
disputed withdrawal clause of the
league covenant; that purely domes-
tic questions were safe from the
leagues interference; that the Mon
roe doctrine was clearly preserved |
The League, the president eX-
planned, was built on the plan of Cen
eral SHUTS of South Africa.
Mr.. Wilson revealed that he had
the United States take no
part of the German reparation but
had asked that the conference re-
serve disposition of the German Pa
ciic Island of zap on a suggestion
that it was needed for an American
naval station.
Some of the senator's questions
the president declined to answer on
The ground of international policy,
How the American delegates voted
On Japan's proposal for a@racial equal
tV clause in the league covenant he
said he could not disclose "in the in
crest of international good standing"
and for the same reason he said he
,ould not go into the negotiations
over the French frontier or give the
committee copy of the record of
Iapan's Shantung promise.
Makes Prepared Statement.
Early action on the treaty was
Urged in statement by the presi-
lent at the outset of the conference
This was necessary, he held, so that
4 peace basis might be reached and
he other treaties under negotiation
low at Versailles were being delayed
Until the world learned what would
happen to the treaty with Germany.
lie said he saw no reasonable objec-
ion to senate reservations but
hought it unwise to incorporate them
n the ratification itself.
In replying to a long series Of
questions by Senator Brandegee, Re-
publican, Connecticut, the president
vas led into an exhaustive discussion
# the co-mingling Of moral and le-
sal obligations in treaties.
"A moral obligation" said Mr.
Wilson, lis, Of course, superior to a
egal obligation, and If may say so,
las greater binding force. In every
moral obligation there is an element
Il judgment; in q legal obligation
here is no element Of judgment"
Senator Brandegee suggested there {
vas no important distinction, DE
auSe we are obligated in any event" 7