Evening star., 1919-08-19

with regard to the question Of con
struction by this cable convention
That note Of the British ambassado
!! was q part of the diplomatic CORE
spondence, covering that subject.
The Chairman: That was what
understood.
Senator Moses: Was the stipulation
consideration of the cable convention
a formally signed protocol?
The President: No. 1t was not
formally signed protocol. but we hat
a; prolonged and interesting discus
sion on the subject, and nobody hai
upon.
The Chairman: I asked the ques
tion because 1t seemed to me mat
ter Of great Importance.
The President: Yes, it Is.
The Chairman: AS a matter of self
1t that the treaty would give the hvt
principal allied and associated pow
ers the authority to make such dis
position as they saw fit of those is
lands. but / did not know whether
the secret treaty would thwart thai
tions to ask, Mr.. President.
Discuss Withdrawal Clause.
Senator Borah: Mr.. President. If nc
one else desires to ask a question
I want. SO far as am individually con-
cerned, to get q little clearer infor-
nation with reference to the with
drawal clause in the league covenant
Who passes upon the question of the
fulfillment of our International OBJ
legations. upon the question whether
a nation has fulfilled its international
obligations?
The President: Nobody.
Senator Borah: Does the council
have anything to say about it?
The President: Nothing whatever.
Senator Borah: Then II a country
should give notice of withdrawal, il
would be the sole judge Of whether
or not it had fulfilled it's international
obligations. its covenants to the
league.
Right to Withdraw Unrestricted.
The President: That is as I un-
derstand it. The only restraining in
fiuence would be the public opinion
of the world.
Senator Borah: Precisely. but II
the United States should conceive tina,
it had fulfilled its obligations. that
question could not be referred to the
council in any way. or the council
could not be called into action?
The President: No.
Senator Borah: Then, as I under
stand. when the notice is given. the
right to withdraw it unconditional?
Tho President: Well. when the no
tice is given it is conditional on the
faith Of the conscience of the with
drawing nation at the close. of the
two-year period.
Senator Borah: Precisely. but it is
50 far as the legal
right or the moral right is concerned:
: The President: That is my inter-
pretation.
Senator Borah: There is no moral
obligation on the part of the United
States to observeany suggestion made
by the council?
The President: Oh. no.
Senator Borah: With reference to
Withdrawing?
The President: There might be a
moral obligation If that suggestion
had weight. senator, but there Is no
other obligation.
As to Any Moral Obligation.
Senator Borah: Any moral obliga-
ton which the United States would
feel would be one arising from it's
own sense Of obligation?
The President: Oh, certainly.
Senator Borah: And not by reason
Of any susxestion. by the council?
The President: Certainly.
Senator Bor2h: Then. the idea
which has prevailed in some QUAR-
ters that the council would pass upon
such obligation is an erroneous one
from your standpoint?
The President: Yes entirely.
senator Borah: And - understand.
of course, you are expressing the view
f0&p = l.
mission which drew tina league?
The President: 7 am confident that
that was the view. That view was
NOT formulated, you understand, but
I am confident that that was the view.
othsr Countries Must Act.
Senator McCumber: May ask q
question right here? Would there be
any objection, then, to q reservation
Declaring that to be the understand
ing Of the force OF this section?
The. President: Senator. an. indi-
Gated at the opening Of our confer
ence, this il my Judgment about that.
Only we can iutsrpret moral obliEa-
tion. The legal obligation can be en-
forced by such machinery as there IL
to enforce It. We are therefore at
liberty to interpret the sense In which
we undertake q moral obligation.
would be a mistake to embody that
interpretation In the resolution Of
ratification. because then 1t would be
necessary for other governments to
act upon II. t
senator McCumber: II they all un-
derstood at the time that this was the
understanding and the construction
that should be given to that portion
of the treaty, would 1t be necessary
for them to act on 1t again?
The President: I think It would
senator.
Senator Mccumber: Could they no,
merely accept 1t by acquiescence?
lawyer was not very long: but that
experience would teach me that the
language Of contract fs always part
Of the dehatable matter. and car
testify that in our discussions in the
commission on the league Of nations
we did not discuss ideas half as much
as we discussed phraseology.
Queries by Senator McCumber.
Senator McCumber But suppose
Mr.. President. that we should make
a declaration Of that kind, which
would be in entire accordance with
your view of the understanding Of al
Of the nations. and without saying
anything the nations should proceed
to appoint their commissions and te
act under this treaty. Would MOI
that be clear acQuiescence in oul
construction?
The President: Oh. 1t might be
senator. but we would not know for q
good many months whether they were
going to act In that sense or not
There would have to be either ex'
MI <1f a n,
a long enough time for us to know
whether they were implicitly acQui
escensing or not.
Senator McCumber. should sup
pose that when the treaty was signet
under present world conditions al