El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1919-12-29


/ oCs situations IN foreign relations
No objection TO Course.
What has actually happened has
f been that the president, using powers
{ unquestionably within his grasp and
right. since no one has been able to
cite single legal objection TO his
course has gone TO Europe In con
ference with the representatives OF
/ other great nations he has negotiated
treaty Of peace, speaking always in
the name OF the country OF which he
was the chief executive and for
which be possessed the right 70 nego-
tate treaties and that treaty having
been duly signed. has been. at least
temporarily rejected by his own
country
We have then reached a com
nIete deadlock and for several
months the restoration Of peace
in the world has been postponed
TO the very great injury Of all
the world.
The president and the senate have
been collectively denounced in many
quarters, while in others the whole
burden OF blame has been placed upon
the president OF upon the majority Of
the senate. Yet little or no blame has
been placed upon the constitution OF
the United states itself. which pro-
vided no machinery for emerging
from the situation, no means Of
IH Different in Europe.
By contrast the situation OF the
European nations Is obvious. When
Cl5menceau or Lloyd George acted for
their respective countries in Paris.
they acted as the representatives, the
agents Of the responsible majority in
the dominant legislative branch OF
the French or British parliament
At q certain moment in the Paris
conference an influential faction IN
the house Of commons felt that the
course George was pursuing in Ger
French relations and imperiled British
interests AS consequence a
round robin" sort Of document was
framed in the house and duly trans
mitted TO Paris, and George, sensitive
instantly 70 the peril. promptly modI- Z
fled his policy to suit the clrcum-
stances. The legislative branch was
thus able 70 make its viii felt before Z
q treaty had been framed, and thus
to defend national interests. with {
put paralyzing the whole machinery Z
Of the peace settlement
Senate's ARound Robsn.s
over against this must be set the
warning conveyed by the senate in
mother round robin" drafted in 4
March. as I recall. after the presi-
tents brief visit TO the Emitted States Z
md setting forth the fact that the
-reaty in the shape il then was q
shape which was in part retained.
you'd not be accepted by the senate
such a warning the president could
md did disregard, because he was
md confident that II he appealed 70
he country. popular sentiment would
Compel the senate TO accept any
realty which BE had signed.
We have then on this side OF the
water, machinery for negotiating
Law D. aIm
-irectly 70 q complete paralysis The
vents Of the last year have dis
lCsed the fact that the president OF
he United States can lawfully 20 10
peace conference and there in the
ame Of the United States negotiate
Interference from iile legislative
ranch But similarly, when this
realty has been signed IN the name
{ the country the legislative branch
an reject It
The legislative branch cannot.
however. negotiate new treaty
while the president can II he
chose reject any amendments to
the treaty and ear refuse to ac-
cept any settlement which de-
parts IN any degree, even the
smallest. from bis own views.
The result is anurchy IN the
world, 80 far as the United States
Is concerned We lose our vote,
lose our chance TO Parflclp9te
and IN the present case. delay the
return to pence al over the world,
since ST nutionE desire our par
Tlcipatiou.
So far ths single logical suggestion I
( an escape from the deadlock comes 2
on senator Lodge. who has proposed
carry the question TO the people .
the next national election But !
us means postpOninE peace, so far J
concerned q - & T.
81 more. for even after the election I
be president cannot be compelled 70 .
p and he holds office until March e
1871 More than this. Il means Z
ithdrawing American influence from /
!e international fisld all through {
hat must be the most critical year 2
all
ANY other proposal comes to mere 7
onsence, since peace by concurrent q
joint resolution leads back 70 the
,esident, while il raises a multitude
questions and leaves TO adjustment I q
y various outstanding litigations ! e
IN Germany, which would have to s
, TO the courts and there be decided 2
salnst Us almost inevitably. II theti z
Glory Itself were not translated into
eslaoiisneo taog by the treaty !
Europe Negotiated In Good FaIth. II
Europe negotiated with the uresi-
mt IN good faith. as the representa- r
We OF tle united states he tnll y
en- without hesitation that the I 2
lngs he asked for represented the , q
nee ot America They believed him. r
e told them also that whatever op- i
lsition there might be in the senate, C.
appeal TO the American people I G
ould insure the passage OF the resO- el
ton Of ratification. He believed I 2
is, his European audience believed q
M and most Of Americans abroad !
the time confirmed this statement { b
II IS clear that technically the CRY =
coming from Europe that the I q
fitted states has repudiated an en- b.
cement alFeady entered into IS not p
curate- It is equally true that ID
chulcallT the Countries with whom / &
e United States negotiated the al
ace tteaty should have been able 10 Z G
scoTef the anomalous situation u
lich enabled our legislative branch q
reject a treaty negotiated BY the
ecutlye and even more 70 discover
AZ the legislative branch con I n
mplated doing just this. Il
Danger in Alternative. II
But the truth Is that in order 70 VI
re eifectiFe notice Of this. the 4 OF
iro-e,an representative would have h
en- forced TO join battle with the
esldent Of the United States. whose d
4