The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-04-11
LODGE DEMAND MET
BY MONROE CLAUSE


This Interpretation of the Monroe
Doctrine Is now encountered every
where in French circles. Some Of the
Paris papers pointed out that unless
that view prevailed there would have
to be an alliance between France
Great Britain and America to compe
Germany TO live up to the terms of thu
forthcoming peace treaty.
This springs from the view held II
all European circles that the league
as a means Of security, is now utterly
dead. Interest In the league, which
was high some weeks ago, has almost
vanished. and the meeting this eve
ming was regarded as being held
merely TO give approval to the
shadow of the idea many once held.
Were 1t not for the interesting diplo-
matte situation arising from 1t little
interest would be taken.
A precedent will be set in having
the labor report submitted to the full
conference tomorrow. This will be
followed by other committee reports.
This would seem TO involve the pos
slbillty of long discussions, but the
league Is now reduced to such in
nocuous form that there is little like
ihood Of this step. The question
whether the peace treaty itself should
the first Wilson principle. is unde-
be submitted and approved by the
full conference, in accordance with
cided.
British Obstacles Cleared.
While the Big Four conferences on
the remaining points of the treaty
the Saar Valley, the Rhine, Danzlg,
Fiume, &c.-continue to excite inter
est, attention was focused to-day on
the league meeting and the fate Of the
Monroe Doctrine. 1t was apparent
that much went on in the committee
meeting that couldn't be told about,
but 1t was clear that British obstacles
in the Presidents path had been
cleared away. There was a meeting
between Lord Robert Cecil and Col.
House at noon. but whether it was
then or later that the British agreed
to withdraw their objections to the
Monroe clause was not stated.
That the Presidents Monroe Doc
trine plan has furnished the most in
teresting single diplomatic incident Of
the conference Is proved by the ex-
traordinary veil Of secrecy main
tuined by the leading figures engaged
therein. The British were as reticent
rs the Americans to discuss the pro-
ceed!ngs.
THE Sun was informed significantly
by one diplomat that IL the British
objection could have been known
alongside the American contention
the American people would have seen
through the whole incident. This
plainly nettled the Americans Oscar
Straus, who is representing the Taft
league here, was confident all during
the day that the Monroe clause would
carry. Others refused to commit
themselves, indicating the situation
was one of great delicacy.
sasr valley Dispute Settled.
Another concrete result of the days
negotiations seems to have been a
pronounced acceleration of the whole
peace plan. The Saar Valley dispute,
Il Is intlmated, is now definitely set
tied, with the understanding that
France is to get the product of the
mines.
The President Is fighting desper-
ately to preserve a semblance of his
other points, and it Is evident that
he has become very sensitive over the
torrent of criticism levelled at him
in both Europe and America over the
secrecy that has been maintained, us
indicated by the report that he is now
said to be seeking way for the
treaty to be discussed In open session.
The President discussed this matter
with the American commission. He
is said to have pointed out that for
the Big Four to present the treaty to
Germany before even the other
friendly Powers had seen 1t would be
travesty of his "open cove
nant" point.
Yet the dangers of open discussion
are obvious to diplomats who know
German diplomacy well.
OF extraordinary interest is the
fact that something happened to speed
up the peace making machinery,
bringing prophecies from British and
American quarters that an invitation
would be ready for the Germans BY
the end Of this week, and for the
first Versailles meeting by May /.
Practical agreement was reached
yesterday on responsibility for the
war. On this some election promises
will remain unkept, since the Big
-Four have agreed only to the moral
indictment of the Kaiser, rejecting
the original French and British idea
of an international court. But it is
still left to either France OF Great
Britain TO indiCt the Kaiser un0er