Evening star., 1919-08-19
RESIDENT REPLIES IN DETAIL TO NQLNG SENATORIAL COMMITTEE

stances Of the particular case, sen
ator.
Senator Johnson of California: Yes
necessa rily.
Senator Harding: In answering Sen
OF compelling moral obligation
Woula you think that any less bind
ing than a specific legal obligation?
The President: Not less binding. bu
operative In q different way because
CT the element Of judgment.
Senator Harding: But not les'
likely to involve US in armed parttci
patton:
The President. In trifing natter
very much less likely.
Mr.. Harding Concrete.
Senator Harding: To clear m,
slow mind, let me take a specifi,
case. Suppose the allotted territory
which comes under the control o.
Italy should in some way be assailet
from the Balkan states and the coun
Gil OF the league should Immediately
look upon that Al threat OF wal
involving other nations, and shoult
say that the nations Of the leagu.
should Immediately contribute Al
armed force to stop that war or t.
bring the attacking nation to terms
would We be 4 perfidious people, II
may use that term, would We violate
our obligations II we failed to par
The President: We would be oul
own judges as to whether we were
Obliged in those circumstances to &C
in that way or not.
Senator Hitchcock: in such a cas-
the council would only act unani'
mously and our representative on the
council, of course. would have to con
cur in any advice given.
The President: Certainly; we woul'
always in such case advise ourselves.
of Nation Keeping Word
Senator williams: But il in such ,
case. Mr.. President, we concluded tina
the case provided for and prescribet
had arisen and that the extraneoul
attack existed and that 1t fell within
the terms Of the treaty, then We woult
be untrue If we did not keep oul
word?
The President: Certainly.
Senator Borah-In other words
er the decision should come from th'
Congress OF the United states or from
one individual who sits on the council
Senator Williams: No, it does not
1t merely provides that when tn
council acts In accordance with TN
prescribed terms and we see that !
has acted, then Congress will. as
IL Congress does not Congress Will u
I dishonorable thing.
Senator Borah: Precisely 80; q
that the matter gets back TO tne
point where one individual has oouhs
Congress.
Objects to Interpretation.
Senator Hitchcock: I hope m,
question to the President will no
be Interpreted in that way. MY ques
tion to the President was wnetnel
the matter would even come nefor.
this country as the advice OF .,ra ,n'
sentatives had concurred with tht
other eight members OF the council
and after he had concurred IT wouie
then be up to Congress to decide
The President: You are quite rignt
senator. And let me suggest ina
and notninE was Of mebe ehe men, mem whs m
were discussing these very lmportan
matters than that most OF the ma
tions concerned had popular govern
ments. They were all the time aWart
Of the fact that 1t would depend upoI
the approving or dtsapproving state
Of opinion OF their countries hoH
would vote in matters of this sort
ana it is inconceivable to me that
uniesa the opinion of the United
moral and pract&cai 1uae
ments of the people or the unilet
the representativs
should vote any such advice as woult
lead US into war.
Based ON Treaty With France.
Senator Borah: Mr.. President. doe
france. which has been submitted t
us rest upon any other basis az t
leral and moral obligations than tina
at article x and article XI. which vol
have just described!
The President: No. sir.
Senator Rorah: That IL also, as 70,
1t. simply our moral ohli
cation which we enter into will
France?
The President: Yes.
Senator Williams: All internationa
are moral ones.
Comment on Senator's Question.
Senator Pittman: There Is one thinl
I do not understand about Senatel
Borah's question. He has stated tina
he gathers from what you said that i
all rests with our representative OF
The council Even if our representa-
tive on the council advises as q mem
ber Of the council, and the council Il
is 1t not then still up Il
Congress either to accept or rejec1
that advice?
The President: Oh. yes: but I under
would be dependent on our repre-
senator johnson of California: Ma,
take the example that was Just suG'
rested concerning the Balkan state.
and q possible attack upon the new
of Italy? Assuming tina
that is a case of external aggression
by the Balkan states concerning tn:
new territory that Italy has acquired
by the peace treaty, upon US rests 9
moral obligation to do oul
part in preventing that, does there
not?
As Between Legal and CHORAL.
The President: Yes.
Senator johnson Of California: Ant
that compelling moral obligation
would require us to use such meant
az would seem appropriate. either eco
nomfc or moral? Is that not correct
The President: Deemed appropriate
by whom? That is really the point.
Senator johnson of California: O.
course, deemed appropriate for thu
purpose Of preventing and frustrating
the aggression.
The President: Deemed by us ap'
senator johnson Of California: >
assume Of necessity 1t would have te
be deemed by us to bind us as com.
oelling moral obligation to prevent
the aggression in the case named.
The President: Yes.
Senator McCumber: Mr.. President
[ think, due to my own fault. do moi
fully comprehend your distinction be.
tween a moral and legal obligation
In a treaty. II we enter into treaty