The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1919-12-22
In III never good to bring bad news. I'll
tidings tell themselves Shakespeare.
ARE THEY so VERY DENSE?

Not all OF the British and French newspapers
reflect fanatical resentment at the senate's re-
fnsaI to ratify the treaty without reservations.
Evidence as to the conservative view OF some
OF the English editors is contained in the
following from the Manchester Guardian:
whatever the result il is essential for Europe
to understand that American opposition is mainly
TIE outcome not Of marrow nationasn Or lack
ing II is rooted In the faults OF the treaty itself
The covenant born Ia an atmosphere Of pas
Il sion Many Of its articles are ambiguous, I'M
practical and uneqni;aole,
Aud the London Morning Post scores Premier
Lloyd George for trying TO throw the blame
on the American nation" and calls the speech
lie delivered on Thursday in the house OF com
mons :. d confession Of failure" 1t defends the
American senate IS action on the league Of ma
tionB. and says Lloyd George ''put his money
on the wrong horse when he supported Presi-
dent Wilson'S disastrous bundcrs.' The news
paper then attacks the league Of nations
chinlera, declaring it should be strapped as
failure.
Plain facts for the information Of the French
are set forth by the Paris lie Temps, the great
est newspaper in France, in these words:
why has the Versailles treaty not been ratt
fed by the United states7 Because Of the reser.
nnt have these reseryat,ona been read IN Porls9
Do they destroy the basis OF the treaty have
been told2 Every read them and form his
opinion, in the meanwhile VIII give
opinion.
The fourteen reservations interpretations
OF the American senate prefaced with
ambIe which has direct interest for the allied pow
American ratification win into effect.
the senate declared, only II three allied powers,
by exchange Of notes accept the reservations
ed at Washington This stipulation raises a ques-
ton Of form and question Of principle.
REGISTRATIONS and ntsrDretaonsq we esnnot see
what will hinder them Yesterday the supreme
council authorized the JugoEiay delegation TO
formulate reservations In agreeing to the proyts-
ions Of the treaty Of 81. German. There Is, then,
a precedent And II precedent did exist
would be a good idea to make Nobody with
any sense would say that ought TO hesitate over
this question OF American ratification.
there g question OF principle Are the
American reservations OF such q nature that tho
allies consider them "a binding? That ~
question look into.
We have been toid that the reservations the
senate we're a disayowal OF the work accomplished
by the Paris conference II has been alleged that
the United States shows tendency longer To
be associated with Europe with the peace.
reply o this manifest falsehood 1t Is only
saly the fact, which rs that, although they
insist upon redrafting In two three places the
covenant the league of natons-which be
amended anyhow, under article twenty sx-the
should lead the allies reject ratification
these conditions On the contrary, they contain
certain interpretations which very wise, and
which II would be to interest TO sanction
Let French opinion, fully informed, express
itself with ygor
The British and French people, which in