The sun., 1919-03-18


nous vote or n majority vote would suf-
flee that the part of the covenant re-
lating TO the size Of the military forces
should be clarified that It should con-
tain a larger reservation of the Monroe
DOCTRINE that the covenant should be
made more definite as to when its obli-
cations might be terminated. &c. &C
why. he was as bad as Bryan. He
could find practically nothing in the
whole document that ought not TO he
changed. It was another glazing in
stance OF approving in general and
damning in particulars
"NothinE But a Treaty"
"since then Mr.. Taft has said and
written many words, but so far as
have been able to follow him has made
but one great discovery. II Is that the
articles of the covenant to be signed by
the United States. maybe, are not neces-
! sarily binding upon the United States
because forsooth 1T Is for Congress to
decide in good faith whether or not a
breach of the covenant upon which the
obligation arises has in fact occurred
and, finding that, IL has to perform the
obligation In other words, as Senator
Norris put It more bluntly. 1T is moth
ing but a treaty which may or may
not be fulfilled as Congress at the time
may determine
Under these amazing interpretations
the United States would enter into a
solemn engagement with other Powers
with a mental reservation that It would
or would not comply with It's require
ments, as it might see At II could II II
would regard that treaty as Germany
regarded it's treaty with Belgium. as a
mere scrap OF paper 70 be torn UP at
will.
That our ex-President, an honorable
man. could even suggest the possibility
OF the United States breaking it's plighted
faith seems almost incredible, but that Is
precisely what he did. and you have only
to turn to the report of his speech in
New York to see that / am stating the
| exact fact
The plain purpose is OF course TO
evade the unconstitutionality Of taking
away from Congress the powers speci-
flcally conferred upon 1t by our funda-
mental law.
But even though the object was
worthy could you as Americans. proud
of the unblemished record OF your coun-
try. approve such a method as that? I
cannot believe that MIR. Taft really
! meant to convey the implication that his
language clearly indicates and sin
Seieiy hopo '"at' MHhe Niai II yH's VIZ
muddled document itself he will not fail
simultaneously. for his own sake, to
clarity this extraordinary utterance of
his own. Then we should also like to
hear whether Mr.. Taft's engagement by
Mr.. Wilson as his authorized interpreter
- continuous or Whetner IL terminated
the night before .he sailed. Is that I'm
holy alliance also to be broken at will
by either OF the high contracting parties
81. a.
or Is 1t to be maintained IN good faith
The people are entitled TO know.
The reason Is simple. As matters
now stand Mr.. Taft Is our only source
OF information We had reasonable ex-
pectsfion that the President himself
would unveii the mysteries OF Paris upon
his return. but we were doomed to dis
appointment.
Even the Sena tors who sat at his feet
in The White House returned dejectedly
| TO their homes more bewildered than
ever. and. as three or them frankly ad-
iritted' amazed at the PRESIDENTS ignor-
nhce OF the real meaning OF 'he 'arious
aFtiSIes III ms own covenant.
we KNOW ina, nus Hsh,'hs pIoou u
Up. ina. our suiers laiu a1wh ue,r
~ ''s us 10,
-, ~ III ~. -. 49, y, -,
alton ,hat he had den,on.,ra,ed Tho,
after ali A,arica .had not been drueged
into utter helpIessness by false doctrine.
that the peoples of Europe are in the
saddle-meanIng at his back-and " the
present Governments do not do their
meaning his-'will, some other Govern
ments shall As consequence. il ]
may quote William Allen White OF the
President OF the United States 'tur-
ing Europe In the greatest parade in his
tory, blithely talking the Language OF
revolution, as unconscious OF Its i'm
port as recruit tinRering Win hand
grenade, and that finally, az the most
wonderful fact In the world SINCE he
went there this country had won the
env,able distinction or being recognized
as the friend or mankind, and was now
trusteo-as II forsooth II had never been
trusted before
But u is idIe IN rehearse the mingled
rhapsodies ard threats with which We
nave been rcgaled You are familiar
with them. Tho point Is that tho only
scrap oc information vouChsafed to us
about the league was that wheedled out
of the President by Justice Goff TO the
effect that he could speak only with
British representatives concerning the
future of Ireland. America must re-
main in the dark.
But enlightenment upon this MATER
was not necessary. The covenant itself.
in the clause guaranteeing the nreserva-
ton of one aDother's territorial lines
affords a comnlete answer That "a All
we learned But II ia a fact which NAV
vol ha ro,a,, ~, ,hI. ~ ,rnt,.a-ar'.
% e ,s,a 80" VI ''o i't.ron SAINT Oh inc
been compelled TO seek refuge from on