Evening journal., 1919-07-26

Mr.. Tafts suggested "interpreta-
hons Of the League covenant and his
Two extraordinarily outspOken letters
on the subject 10 Chairman Hays are
deeply interesting as manifestations
Of the extreme and Jealous solictude
Of paternity.
The League idea was Mr.. Tafts long
before President Wilson seized upon A.
and used u for all that II was worth
for his personal aggrandizement In The
eyes Of Europe. The crux Of Mr.. Taft's
League Of Nations was the International
tribunal for the iurldlclal settlement or
iusticlable questions. together with
provision for the international enforce
ment Of the International courts de-
vision. The conception of 4 super
Judiciary has always fascinated the
legal mind OF the type Of Mr.. Tafts or
Mr.. Roots. In Mr. Wilson's adaptation
Of the general League idea this nart'cu-
lar feature Of international conception
has undergone strophy. As Mr. Taft
pathetically remarks 10 Mr.. Hays: 81
am confident that he prevented the
adoption Of the plan Of the League TO
Enforce Peace IN respect 10 an Inter
national court AMI the settlement OF
iustlcable questions. His prejudice
against courts Is well known"
There are further expressions I'm The
Taft letters showing how the former
President regards the present Execu-
iive's course with regard 10 this mat
ter Mr.. Taft may he somewhat sore
over the mlsappropriatlon and perver-
cd - % I 10
Enforce Peace, hut he does no inius-
tlce TO President Wilson's character
and performances when he says 10
Chairman Hays:
He selected a commission tn
which the Republicans had no rep
resentatiOn and In which there
were no prominent Americans OF
any real expcfience and leadership
Of public opinion. With such a
commission his unusual course Of
going abroad himself. as President.
greatly emphasized the personal
element In the framing Of the
treaty and intensified the general
tendency 10 oppose anything he
might bring home. because Of his
apparent wish 10 dictate the policy
Of the world and to monopollze the
credit for t."
A more accurate perception Of mo- /
tive 'and a truer analysis Of the causes /
delaying the conclusion Of peace could |
scarcely be desired
The difference between President |
Wilson's interest IN forcing the League /
covenant into the treaty OF peace and /
ex-President Taft's interest in the same 4
Is nhrrf -. .Hn ar.H
stand the nature and proclivities Of 7
these two eminent Americans. Mr..
Wilson is working 10 put the COW
enant through because, as Mr. Taft
candidly expresses 70, "of his wish 10
dictate the policy OF the world and 20
monopolize the credit for IT," Mr. Taft |
has been supporting the Presidents
,norts because ne believes that II some
sort OF international machinery can he
started. no matter how defective in
construction or unsatisfactory in oper-
alton. it may develop hereafter into an
establishment more closely resembling
that which he and his League TO En-
force Peace have so long had in hope
Of heart Mr.. Wilson wants to save
the face he has been exhibiting so
copi0usly to the foreign world. Mr.
Taft wants to save the international
tribunal he has so long and with such
honest enthusiasm proposed. Bearing
these plain facts in mind, a political
association between the two statesmen
hat would otherwise be abnormal be-
comes entirely natural and perhaps
even reasonable.
or the six suggested amendments.
Or reservations, or Interpretations, or
explanations suggested
by Mr.. Taft 10 enable Mr. Wilson TO
save his face by the sacrifice Of the
rue inwardness Of the covenant the
most important is that which concerns
Article y. or this article Mr.. Tan |
wrote not long ago:
THE reason FOR Article X is the
protection Of weaker nations
against stronger ones. Great ma !