The sun., 1919-10-23

to Its internal affairs, including immi-
grafton, coastwise traffic, the tariff,
commerce 1.-THE weapons Of economic
pressurel and all other domestic ques-
tions =. are not under this
treaty submitted in any way either to
arbitration or to the consideration of
the Council or the Assembly Of the
League of Nations, or to the decision
or recommendation Of any other
Power" This "mild" reservation
slashes wide and deep into half a
dozen of the articles Of Mr.. WILsoN's
original project.
The fourth McCumber reservation
substitutes for the meaningless and
mendacious description Of the Monroe
Doctrine contained in Article XXI. of
the Wilson covenant square afflrma-
ton of the continued validity and
force Of that doctrine as the long es-
tablished policy Of this nation; and
It declares, further, that "said doc
trine Is to be interpreted by the
United States alone and is hereby de-
clared to be wholly outside Of the
Jurisdiction Of said League Of Ma
tions and is preserved unaffected by
any provision In said treaty con-
tained."
The fifth of the mild" reservations
shakes our skirts clear of any respon'
aibility for the Shantung arrange
'ent, in which the President acqul.
;ced when he was buying foreign
consent to his general project.
The sixth refers to the six to one
vote of the British Empire In the
Assembly. 1t declares that "the United
States reserves the right. upon the
submission of any dispute to the Coun'
ell or the Assembly, to object to any
Member and its self-governing domln
ions, dependencies or possessions
having in the aggregate more than
one vote; and assumes no obliga
tion to be bound by any election, find
ing or decision in which such Member
and its said dominions, dependencies
and possessions have in the aggregate
cast more than one vote" This ap
plies to cases where the plurally vot
ing Power is not a party to the dis
pute. When the plurally voting
Power is a party to the dispute the
McCumber reservation construes the
covenant to mean that any dispute
with dominion, dependency or posses
sion Is dispute with the principa
Member represented, and the exclu
sion Of the vote Of the principal Mem
Der as a party to the dispute covers
not only that dominant or principa
Member "but also Its dominions, colo
MES and dependencies"
Whether these exceedingly destruc
tive notifications of Mr.. WILSON'S pro
posed contract safeguard sufficient!
American independence and unre
stricted nationalism is another ques
tion. No time spent by the Foreigl
Relations Committee or the Senat
itself in scrutinizing them and in as
certaining their practical effect to tn,
minutest detail Of operation Is tim
wasted for American interests. Wha
calls for general attention is the plail
notice which the mildest Of the reser
vationists have given to the thick ant
thin supporters of the Administrator
| in this matter that the thing 70
| which the latter have contended a
the Presidents dictation Is slipping
from them at a rate of speed increas
ing now in geometrical progression
The country has made up its min'
that the thing shall not be. A ma
jority Of the Senate, growing stronge
every day and week, has made up it
mind that the thing shall not bt
Democrats and Republicans are alik
getting wise and wiser as to the WI
son projects implications.
1t is better to be wise in time tha,
to be sorry for eternity. Time
with us and for us; and as THEoDoR
ROOSEVELT has told US in the languag
of homely, Straightforward commo
sense that might have been BENZ
MIN FRANKLIN's, 'Nlne-tenths Q
wisdom is being wise In time"