El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1919-11-20
PLAN NO
PEACE At ALL
President Considered Res.
erVations Modification
Of Pact.

. without IN consent Of congress, but
: it goes further and would prohibit the
/ executive branch Of the government
! From interfering In controversies
Z between nations Nobody knows
/ what mieht be interpreted as inter
I ference" Whenever war is threatened.
] friendly nations have exercised the
] right TO suggest mediation OF 10 urge
] Cancellation What haf been irtended
& by the one Side az an act OF friend
ship and mediation has sometimes
/ been construed by beuigerents as in
] reference"
Article Ten Stumbling Block
I The adoption OF the Lodge reserva-
ton on article ten would have been
, embarrassing because Il would weak
T en- the moral power o. the government
+ to exercise any good offices even in
. Central and South America without
the specific consent OF congress and
E IL is often the case that congress is
E not In session when an emergency has
arisen and there are emergencies
which can be Strengthened out easily
/ by the executive branch OF the gov
I eminent without all the trouble OF an
F extra session Of congress-
a specific definition Of this reserva-
ton 10 apply only TO the use Of mill
tary and naval forces as provided uu-
der the constitution and 70 leave the
executive branch OF the government
free TO exert moral power to preserve
peace but preventing II from using the
army or navy until congress has said
so, wouli easily have brought support
from the Democratic side OF the SEN
ate.
Reservation four. saying that no
mandate shall be accepted without the
consent OF congress was not ccnsid- I
cred Objectionable.
No Legal Objections.
Reservation five, saying the United Z
States Reserves TO itself exclusively ]
the right TO decide what questions are /
within domestic jurisdiction and de- /
claring that all such questions may I
not even be considered by the council /
OF the league was not viewed as OBJ ]
1ectionable from any legalistic view
by other Foreign governments II /
would give them the same right and 4
then England could call the Irish /
question a domestic affair and Japan d
might call the Shautung question I
domestic matter and italy might con-
strue the Fiume issue as purely do
nestle because Italians live there All I
the advantages which the friends OF
Ireland were 20 be given under article
II Of the covenant which permits the
council OF league TO consider any
thing that disturbs friendly relations
would be swept aside by the specific
exclusion OF domestic affairs
Indeed, any nation could simply
invoke this article and exclude ques-
ton after question from the domain OF
international conference This reser-
walton might not be so invoked by the
United States but IL would most as
suredly be invoked by certain govern
ments in Europe The purpose which
the senators had in mind-to exclude
INN grafton and the tariff from the
consideration OF the league-could be
accepted by q simple reservation stat
ing that questions which have hither-
70 been regarded universally as do
nestle under international law should
not be subject 10 the consideration OF
the league OF nations
Reservation SIX. pertalned 20 the
Monroe doctrine. Foreign govern
ments would hardly object 10 this, as
IL always was an American doctrine
Reservation seven withheld Amer
ica's consent from the ShautunE set
Element While this is a commeuoa-
be objection, such a resolution does
not help China The senate could 1elp
China by ms sting that 1t VIII with
hold Its consent until Japan has tul-
filled the promises she made IN Paris,
namely to return KiachoW 10 China
Reservation eight would have given
congress a voice in selecting the per-
sonnet Of American represeutation on
all committees or bodies that may De
Is not OBJECT enable but the last par
agraph goes on 10 forbid any Ameri-
can citizen from serving on an inter-
national committee without the ap-
1roval Of the senate. This would pre-
vent Americans from sitting as arbi-
traitors or ueCiators IN disputes in
which our government IS not az all
concerned but in which the disinter-
ssted judgment Of men ike Elihu
Root, William Howard Taft or other
might be sought BY for
Sign countries in effort 10 maintain
leace between themselves There Is
-raVe doubt whether congress has
he right under the constitution 70 IN
erfere with the freedom OF action OF
american citize7s IN this connection
Reservation nine would have given III
congress a voice in the acts OF the a
eparation commission. Many in the
regard this as weak
ming Americas power. but this IS
looted question and time alone can y
nsWer Il
Reservation 10 was viewed as Civ Z.
1g any nation the right TO refuse 10 y
isarm because they can all contend =,
hey are threatened with invasion" ~
Which was Germans argument for -
lany years concern = France. This =
light be modified [ permit a nation Z.
D increase its armament only after -
iplomatic relations Eave been bro :.
en- with an unfriendly nation or .
hen engaged In war O..
Reservation II was a reasonable n,
Interpretation Of that article OF the =
ovenant which relates to the right III
z aliens IN the United States 70 carry Z,
n trade with persons IN this country b,