The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1919-04-08
20. OFFERS
GRAIN aNGES IN
i? i: ]. !: :::: INSTITUTION
g
aniTy aiaTy ould Provide Right to With
q draw and Reserve Monroe
Doctrine and Control I'm
migration.
HIS SIX AMENDMENTS


ed In full I'm Justice to the Palladium
readers. senator Root has served Our
nation well and faithfully in the past
state under President Roosevelt. His
well known reputation for clearness OF
thought and sound Judgment were
never better exempIified than In this
letter regarding grave subject about
the dark.
Dear Sir: l have received your let
ter of March "a, and I give you here
with at perhaps inordinate length my
views regarding the proposed con-
vention for League Of Nations.
l am sure that all Of us earnestly
desire that there shall be an effective
international organization to preserve
the peace of the world, and that our
country shall do its full share toward
the esta blishment and maintenance of
such an organization. l do not see
much real controversy about that
among the American people, either be-
tween parties or within parties, or
otherwise.
There is, however, a serious ques-
ton whether the particular proposed
agreement which Is now under dis
cussion by the Peace Conference in
Paris under the title Constitution
of a League of Nations" will accom-
plish that end in its present form, and
whether 1t cannot be made more ef-
fective and free from objection. A
careful study of the paper under the
urging Of intense interest in the sub
ject has led me to the conclusion that
a large part OF it's provisions will be
OF great value; but that it has very
serious faults, which may lead to the
ultimate failure Of the whole scheme
unless they are remedied. and some
faults which unnecessarily and with
out any benefit whatever to the pro-
ject tend to embarrass and hinder the
United States in giving its full sup
port to the scheme.
think there should be several very
important amendments to the agree
ment.
This seems to be the general view.
Mr.. Taft, who Joined the president IN
advocating the agreement. says 1t
ought to be amended almost as strong
ly as his former Secretary Of State.
Senator Knox. says the same thing.
When Mr.. Lodge and Mr.. Lowell had
their great debate In Boston, both said
the agreement ought to be amended.
A discussion Of the merits and faults
of tho scheme with view to amend
ment is now the regular order of busi-
ness. 1t was to give an opportunity
for such a discussion that the paper
was reported to the Paris Conference
and made public by the Committee
that prepared it.
Invitation Of Criticism
At the time of the report, Lord
Robert Cecil. who represented Great
Britain in the Committee, said: 81
rejoice very much that the course
which has been taken this afternoon
has been pursued. 1t seems to be a
good omen for the great project in
which We are engaged that before its
final completion 1t should have been
published to the world and laid be-
fore all its people for their service and
for their criticism"
Signor Orlando, who represented
Italy, said: I'VE all expect from the
discussion and development of the
present act renewal of the whole
world, but, as the present debate has
for its object to bring the whole
scheme before the public opinion Of
the world, wish to bring to that de-
bate my personal contribution"
M. Leon Bourgeois, who represented
France in the committee. said: Lord
Robert Cecil has said, We now pre-
sent to the Conference and to the
world the result Of our work but we
do not present it as something that Is
final, but only as the result Of an hon
est effort to be discussed and to be
examined not only by this Conference
but the public opinion of the world"
At that very time NJ. Bourgeois sug-
gested an amendment about which l
shall say something presently, and he
went on to say: The observations we
have made on some points will, we
hope, be of some value in the further
discussions, since we are at the be-
ginning of the examination of the
whole plan"
These gentlemen represented all the
great Allies by whose side we have
been fighting in Europe, and 1t is
plain that they expected and wished
that the scheme which they had re-
ported should be subjected to public
discussion and criticism in their own
countries and in ours. 1t is also plain
that they saw no reason why the pro-
posed agreement should be rushed
through in such haste that there would
not be an opportunity for public dis
cussion and criticism and for COM
ence.
Under our Constitution it is the
business of the Senate to take the lead
in such a discussion, to compare the
different opinions expressed in the
several states, and to draft in proper
form the amendments which the pub
lie judgment seems to call for. 1t is
unfortunate that the Senate has not
been permitted to perform that duty
in this case. 1t seems to me that the
Senate ought to have been convened
for that purpose Immediately after the
4th of March. In addition to the regu-
lar and extra sessions Of Congress the
Senate has been convened separately
in special session forty-two times
since ii was first organized, ordinarily
to confirm few appointments or pass
on unimportant treaties, never for any
reason more important than exists
now.
Public Responsibility.
There is special reason why the
Senate should consider this proposed
CONTINUED on Page Six)