The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1919-08-29

q moral obligation. The legal obj
CATION can be enforced by such ma
chinery as there is to enforce it. We
are at liberty therefore to interpret
the sense in which we undertake q
moral obligation.
What / feel very earnestly is that
it would be mistake to embody
that Interpretation in the resolution,
of ratification, because then it would
be necessary for other governments
to act upon it,"
This same question arose as to this
country's obligations under Articles
10 and IL. The President made it
very clear that, after all, it was for
the United States, and this country
alone, to determine. upon occasion,
whether it would go to the rescue of
an assaulted nation; whether 1t felt
that the circumstances bound it to
send armed forces to any point at
any time, and whether its obldga-
lions under the articles were legal
or moral. In that connection, Sena-
tor McCumber asked, do you not
think that it would be well to have
a reservation inserted In our resolu-
ton that shall so construe that sec
ton as to make II clear, not only to
the American people but to the world,
that Congress may use its own judg-
ment as to what 1t will do and that
it's failure to follow the judgment
of the council will not be considered
breach of the agreement"
To this question the President
made the following answer:
1--WE differ. Senator, only as to the
form OF action. / think it would
be very serious practical mistake to
put 1t in the resolution OF ratifca-
ton; but l do hope that we are at
liberty, contemporaneously with our
acceptance of the treaty, to interpret
our moral obligation under that Ar
ticle."
The President revealed that ia
pans promise to return Shantung
province to China was reduced to
written form in the mintes of the
Peace Conference. He asserted he
promise would be carried out, and
told the Senators it was ''the best
that could be got" out of the ne
gotiations, Japan having given no
tice she would withdraw from the
conference if her demands were re-
fused. The American delegates, he
said, had tried to keep the nation free
from obligations in European affairs
$50 far as it was honorable possible
to do So" but he assented that it
might be necessary to keep some
American troops in the Rhine dis
fifteen years.
He declared the nation would be
it's own sole judge, whether its obi
cations had been fulfilled under the
disputed withdrawal clause of the
league covenant; that purely do
nestle questions were safe from the
leagues interference and that the
Monroe Doctrine was clearly pre-
served.
Mr.. Wilson revealed that he had
suggested the United States take no
part of the German PREPARATION, but
had asked that the conference re-
serve disposition of the German Pa
cific Island of Yap ON suggestion
that it was needed for an American
naval station.
Some of the Senators questions the
President declined to answer on the
ground of international policy. How
the American delegates voted on ia
pans proposal for racial equality
clause in the league covenant he said
he could not disclose lin the inter
est of international good understand
ing" and for the same reason he said
he could not go into the negotiations
over the French frontier or give the
committee copy of the record of
Japan's Shantung promise.