New-York tribune., 1919-04-03
Senator Hitchcock's Conversion

Senator Hitchcock chairman of the
Senate Committee on Foreign Relations
until March a and chief Senate propo-
nent Of the doctrine that the proposed
covenant of the league of nations as of
February IA is changeless and unamend-
able, has altered his views
Senator Hitchcock now comedies the
dishonesty of the claim that opposition
to the covenant is opposition to the
league of peace idea. Only three mem
bers of the Senate, he says, wish ma
tional aloofness. This confession might
have come earlier. The Senator might
have denounced the misrepresentation
when first he heard it, instead of being
silent when his colleagues were described
as men of "pygmy" minds who could not
see changed conditions required this
country to assume a share in world re-
sponsibility.
Besides his belated apology, Senator
Hitchcock now acknowledges the justice
of specific criticisms which he first re-
jected as profane-has adopted opinions
and judgments recently regarded as
blasphemous. The covenant, he says, is
to be amended to safeguard the Monroe
Doctrine; to give each nation control
over its domestic affairs, including i'm
migration; to prevent reduction in arma-
ment until each nation, through it's con-
stituted authorities, orders it; to have
no decision Of the executive council or of
the league binding unless there is a
unanimous vote; to permit each league
member to withdraw at will.
The mind Of Senator Hitchcock having
been opened, 1t may be possible to edu-
cate him and his co-workers still more.
Let them take the covenant and add to it
and subtract from it as they now pro-
pose, and then let them look at what is
left If they honestly report the testi-
mony of their eyes they will say that
they gaze upon nothing, or substantially
nothing.
When a group Of persons come to-
gether on the understanding that no one
of them is to be legally or morally bound
unless there is unanimous agreement,
and that even if there is the miracle of
temporary unanimous agreement any
one may subsequently quit at pleasure,
then there is no agreement. One of the
reasons for the confusion marking the
discussion Of the covenant is that fraud
IS at the centre. In no true sense does
the covenant create, or seriously try to
create, league to enforce peace
1parIn pf yoooco ooy Io
either one of two ways. A world fed
Grafton can conceivably be established
with the several peoples and nations
bearing relation to it similar to that
sustained by our forty-eight states to the
Federal Union. But If such a super-
state is impossible--and it seems to be-
then a league to preserve peace can be
formed by creating a firm but underlined
coalition, or entente, among nations DOS
sessing together preponderant power.
with these nations imposing their will
for peace on all disturbers.
President Wilson would have neither
of these things. Recognizing that world
federation and super-state are not
feasible, he was unwilling to accept the
offer Of the Entente Allies of Europe to
enlarge the Entente by the inclusion of
the United States. He insisted on call
ing our partners associates, not allies
lie sought to set up something that was
neither supcr-state nor entente, and
cmerges with nothing. Perhaps our
people would not be willing to perpetu-
ate the union which won the war, which
has shown by ts peacc-making abilities
that 1t might be peace maintainer;