The Coconino sun., 1919-05-23

sideration for the future as well as the immediate welfare of the country. Just what the senate can do with the peace treaty itself, if the decision Is against the league of nations cove nant, is a matter subject to contro- versy. President Wilson has said the senate must eat it all or none. The staunchest administration organ, the New York World, so also declares, and the administration satellites of the president and the journalistic satel- lites of the World sound a bell-like echo.
 Subject to Surgery
 But there is a rather convincing opinion to the contrary. Opponents of the league of nations entanglement, as it has been so adroitly framed by President Wilson in collaboration with the old-world diplomacy which Amer ica has heretofore held at safe dis tance from the nations most vital councils, are certain the league cove nant may be subjected to safe, if delecate, surgical operation.
 Under the leadership of Senator Lodge and after considerable discus sion as to the methods of procedure, senators opposed to the entangling features of the peace treaty, includ- ing the league of nations covenant, are now confident that reservations or amendments can be adopted which will completely eliminate the new in ternational complications and safe guard the traditional policy of the United States.
 There is no longer room for doubt that the opposition is going to fight the league covenant to the finish with no wavering in response to whatever pressure comes from the organized na- tion-wide educational campaign built up for the specific purpose of creating prologue sentiment.
 Senator Lodge has himself made it clear that the senate has not only the right but the duty to amend the treaty if it is judged advisable.
 It develops now that the question of whether the senate could amend any treaties under conditions in some re- spects similar to the present case has already been up for discussion and caused Senator Lodge at that time to present the law governing the sem ate's rights in complete and concise form.
 "Our system of treaty-making is es- tablished by the constitution and has been made clear by long practice and uniform precedents," Senator Lodge points out in his explanation of the subject.
 "The American people understand it, and those who conduct the govern ment of other countries are bound to understand it, too, when they enter upon negotiations with us. There is no excuse for any nisapprehension. It is well also that the representatives of other nations should remember, whether they like our system or not, that in the observance of treaties dur ing the last 125 years there is not nation in Europe which has been so exact as the United States, nor one which has a record so free from ex- amples of the abrogation of treaties at the pleasure of one of the signers alone"
 In discussing whether or not the Senate could amend treaties, Senator Lodge said: A
 "The power of the senate to amend or to ratify conditionally is, of course, included in the larger powers express ly granted by the constitution to re- ject or confirm. It never could have occurred to me that any one who had read the constitution and who pos sessed even the most superficial ac- quaintance with the history of the United States could doubt the right of the senate to amend"