The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-07-25
Mr.. Taft Comes to Mr.. Wilson'S
Rescue-And with a Vengeance!

Bescue-And with Nengeancet
Mr.. TAFT's suggested "interpreta-
tons of the League covenant and
his two extraordinarily outspoken let
tiers on the subject to Chairman HAYS
are deeply interesting as manifesto
tions of the extreme and jealous So
llcitude of paternity.
The League idea was Mr.. TAFT's
long before President WILSON seized
upon it and Used it for all that it was
worth for his personal aggrandlze-
ment in the eyes of Europe. The
crux of Mr.. TAFT's League of Nations
was the international tribunal for the
juridical settlement of justiciable ques-
tons, together with provision for the
international enforcement of the in
ted'national courts decision. The con-
ception of n super-judiciary has al
ways fascinated the legal mind of the
type of Mr.. TAFT's or Mr.. RooT's. In
MIR. WILSON'S adaptation Of the gen.
eral League idea this particular fea-
ture of international conception has
undergone atrophy. AS Mr.. TAFT pa
thetically remarks to Nj. HAYS: II
am confident that he prevented the
adoption of the plan of the League
10 Enforce Peace in respect to an In
ternational court and the settlement
Of justiciable questions. His preju-
dice against courts is well known"
There are further expressions in
the Taft letters showing how the for
mer President regards the present
Executives course with regard to
this matter. Mr.. TAFT may be some
what sore over the misappropriation
and perversion of the property of the
League to Enforce Peace, but he does
no injustice to President WILSON'S
character and performances when he
says to Chairman HAYS:
He selected a commission in which
the Republicans had no representa-
ton and in which there were no
prominent Americans of any real ex-
perience and leadership of public
opinion. with such a commission
his unusual course OF going abroad
himself. as President, greatly empha-
sized the personal element in the
framing of the treaty and intensified
the general tendency TO oppose any
thing he might bring home, because
Of his apparent wish to dictate the
policy Of the world and 10 monopo-
lie the credit for It,"
A more accurate perception of mo-
tive and n truer analysis of the
causes delaying the conclusion Of
peace could scarcely be desired.
The difference between President
WILSON'S Interest in forcing the
League covenant into the treaty of
peace and ex-Presldent TAFT's inter-
est In the same project Is obvious to
all who understand the nature and
proclivities of these two eminent
Americans. Mr.. WILSON is working
&c put the covenant through because,
as Mr.. TAFT candidly expresses 1t, "of
world and to monopolize the credit
for It," Mr.. TAFT has been support
ing the Presidents efforts because he
believes that if some sort of interna-
tlonal machinery can be started, no
matter how defective In construction
or unsatisfactory in operation, It may
develop hereafter into an establish
ment more closely resembling that
which he and his League to Enforce
Peace have so long had In hope of
heart. Mr.. WILSON wants TO save
the face he has been exhibiting so
copiously to the foreign world. Mr..
TAFT wants to save the international
tribunal he has so long and with such
honest enthusiasm proposed. Bearing
these plain facts In mind, a political
association between the two statesmen
that would otherwise be abnormal be-
comes entirely natural and perhaps
even reasonable.
OF the six suggested amendments
or reservations, or interpreted lions, or
interpretative explanations suggested
by Mr.. TAFT to enable Mr.. WILSON Ia
save his face by the sacrifice Of the
true inwardness of the covenant the
most important is that which concerns
Article y. OF this article Mr.. TAFT
wrote not long ago:
The reason for Article \. Is the
protection OF weaker nations against
stronger ones. Great nations are sell
dom attacked except in case OF
conspiracy like that OF this present
war, and when such a conspiracy ex-