The sun., 1919-08-20
SENATORS FIND
WILSON'S VIEWS
OUT OF PLUMB
Treaty Critics Say His Ex-
plantations Justify OPP
position to Pact.
PLUNGES U. s. INTO WAR
President Speaks Of Moral OBJ
legation, but That Would
Be Superior to Legal.

WASHINGTON, Aug. 19.-Anti-league
tions Committee believe that their
cause lost none of its virility as the
result Of to-day's interchange of views
with President Wilson. Reluctance to
proffer statements for public quotation
marked the attitude OF several Sena
tors, although Senators Borah Udaho)
and johnson (Cal.), who are the bit
terest critics of the League of Nations
scheme. Joined in a statement as to
the adduced facts not hitherto con-
crctely before the Senate.
Senator Hitchcock (Neb.), ranking
Democrat on the committee, ex-
pressed the view that the meeting had
predicted that the result would be
early favorable action on the treaty.
Chairman Lodge (Mass.), with Sena-
tors Knox (Pa.). johnson (Cal), Moses
IN. HI and Fall IN. M, conferred
for nearly two hours in Senator Knox's
office after the return from the White
House.
Documents of Faith.
Senator Lodge announced that he
would have something to say later per-
haps. but finally determined to make
no present comment. reserving his views
for elaboration in the Senate. Senator
Moses said:
The treaty and the covenant too are
apparently documents of faith. That
was brought out quite definitely in the
course Of the discussion. 1t is very evil
dent that what the nations bind them
selves to do under the terms of the docu-
ments, particularly the league covenant,
is based upon a moral obligation rather
than any legal one. There is much ex-
pressed as believed, assumed. under
stood and little that is set forth in un-
escapable terms of binding agreement"
Universally the Senators commented
upon the Presidents attitude, apparently
one which varied minute by minute, with
regard to the differences between moral
and legal obligations. The Presidents
admission that under Article X, the
obligation of the United States to bring
her force to bear in support of the
provisions of the article was merely a
moral one, and few minutes later his
statement that he considered a moral
obligation even more binding and OF
higher import than a legal one was. one
phase of the interchange in which the
Senators could not quite agree. The
use of the adverb merely" as applying
to an obligation OF superior Importance
to legal obligation, struck them as
furnishing the acme of inconsistency.
A-gI.g
the Presidents statement to the Sena-
tors to-day and his utterances in his
cable plea OF June 2S and his address
to the Senate July 10, when he indi-
Gated in unmistakable language that he
considered this country bound in honor
TO support every tenet phrase and word
OF the covenant without mental reserva-
tion or interpretative change and TO
obey without protest its mandates. and
his suggestions advanced in the course
of the discussion that the burdens lay
rather lightly upon America, struck the
Senators as quite out OF plumb. Accord
ing to the Presidents explanations to-
day, the covenant possesses little IL any
legal binding force, Senators thought.
Statement Made by Radicals.
The Joint statement of the more radI-
cal opponents OF the league covenant,
Senators Borah and Johnson, was as
follows:
"In cur opinion the significant facts
developed by the interview with the
President to-day are these:
81. There yet remain treaties of peace
to be made with Austria, Hungary, Bull
garia and the Ottoman Empire. These
treaties deal with subjects as imports Mt
territory as extensive, and matters ms
intimately affecting the United States
as the treaty with Germany. The oh l.
cations OF the United States, therefore
what our country assumes In the ftl-
ture, cannot be determined unit, these
treaties are completed and presented to
the United States Senate.
"2. That the President regards the OBJ
legations which will be assumed under
the League OF Nations and particularly
under Articles X. and XI., as moral
obligations. These, however. are OF
compelling force and would require
action upon our part. For instance, the
President comedies that in an undoubted
case OF aggre ession from the Balkans
upon the newly acquired territory OF
Italy It would be our duty to come to
the assistance of Italy and prevent such
aggression. The Presidents construction
of Article X. is at variance with the
construction of the Democratic attorneys
of the Senate.
"3. A moral obligation the President
insists rests upon us TO carry out the
terms of the various treaties of peace
This moral obligation, the President
states, requires us under the German
treaty for fifteen years to maintain
American troops in Europe.
-. Tho President did not know nor
(COntt ttnleH on Third Ud0e