The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1919-08-20

ing down general rules and assum In e
that the commission. or whatever body
made the final foundations, would
build upon those principles II they
were adopted. They were principles
quite consistent with the final ac-
ton.
HIS PRIVATE DRAFT
Senator Lodge There was prev,-
Gus draft in addition to the one you
have sent to us. You spoke of a re-
draft That was not submitted to the
committee"
The President No; that was prl-
vatelv my own"
Senator Lodge: WAS it before our
commission"
The President: NO it was not before
our commission"
The President said draft of Article
TO- which Senator Johnson had pre-
sented to the committee, was part Of the
draft, which preceded the draft which
was sent to you"
Senator Johnson said he had taken it
from the Independent
The President: 81 read it with the
greatest interest, because 7 had forgotten
it, TO tell the truth but recognized it
as soon as I read it."
Senator Johnson; ut was the original
plan?"
The President: "It was the original
form of Article TO-"
Senator Lodge said he had been about
to ask whether Article 10 in it's present
form had been in the British plan, but
if there were no definite drafts of these
plans. of course the committee could not
get them.
Asked by Senator Lodge whether he
had seen the resolutions for a league
submitted by Secretary Lansing, the
President replied, Yes"
Senator Lodge: mo specific action was
taken upon them?"
The President: mot in formal way"
Senator Lodge asked whether the
United States would receive any part of
the German reparation fund.
QUESTION LEFT OPEN
The President: Il left that question
open, senator, because 1 did not feel
that l had any final right to decide it.
Upon the basis that was set up in the
reparation clauses the portion that the
United States would receive would be
very small az best, and my own judg-
ment was frequently expressed, not as
decision but as judgment, that we
should claim nothing under those gem
eral clauses. l did that because I COW
eted the moral advantage tn.t that would
give us in the councils of the world"
Senator McCumber. did that mean we
the Lusitania?"
The President: "Oh, no. That did not
cover questions of that sort at ALL
The President added that pre-war
claims were not covered by the repara-
ton clause and said the reparati ton COM
mission would decide. He repeated that
American participation in the repara
lions remained to be decided
Senator Borah asked who would pass
on the question under the withdra wal
clause of the league covenant, whether
nation had fulfilled it's interna tional
obligations.
The President: Nobody"
Senator Borah: "Then il a country
should give notice of withdrawal, 1t
would be the sole Judge of whether or
not it had fulfilled it's international OBJ
liga lions, it's covenants to the league.
stand it. The only restraining influence
would be the public opinion of the
world"
Senator Borah asked whether the sug-
gestion that the council would pass on
such an obligation was erroneous, and
the President replied, Yes, certainly
The President said if reservations were
embodied in the ratification there would
have to be either explicit acauiescence or
the elapsing of a long enough time for
us to know whether they the other
governments) were implicitly acquiescing
or not"
Senator Harding: "Mr President, as
Stunning that your construction OF the
withdrawal clause is the understanding
of the formulating commission why Is
the language making the provso for the
fulfillment of covenants put into the