Evening star., 1919-08-19
PRESIDENT Brings
TREATY TO CLIMAX
White House Conference To-
day Brings Both Sides to
Controversy Out in Open.
LEAGUES FATE At HAND
BY DAVID LAWRENCE.

BY DAVID LAWRENCE.
over the ratification OF
the peace treaty to a climax. in per-
haps the most remarkable debate in
Washington in many generations,
President Wilson faced seventeen
members of the Senate foreign rela-
tions committee. republicans as well
as democrats, answered questions
with facility and ease, and stated the
position in which he as the chief eX-
ecutive of the United States sees the
fortunes of America and the peace of
the world, II the treaty. is ratified
with qualifying clauses that give
other nations an opportunity to re-
open the negotiations and thereby be-
gin a debate anew at Paris.
Mr. Wilson stole a march on his in
ouisitors by getting first publicity.
He read a lengthy statement which
gives the first authorized version of
the Presidents views of the objections
made in the last six weeks to the
treaty and league of nations. 1t is in
the nature of ar appeal to the country
as well as the Senate to realize the
perils of delay. Copper and lead
mines, manufacturing establishments.
cotton export and the channels Of
trade are, in the Presidents opinion,
choked and waiting for release with
the ratification of the treaty. Our
military policy can't be formed till
it is determined what part the United
States is to play in world affairs-in-
side or outside the league.
Discusses Monroe Doctrine.
He talks at length for the first time
on the Monroe doctrine. He reveals
what has been printed before. but
never from his Iips-that America
told the other delegates at Paris about
the doctrine and they accepted our
view. He explsin why it was called
"a regional understanding" He out
lines for the first time his under
standing Of the famous article \, and
makes clear that he concurs in the
alone can declare war. H, states spe-
officially that the American peace
delegation told the other delegates
about this provision of the American
derstood that article>X was advisory,
but that it was left to the conscience
Of every nation to determine whether
she would participate in the punish
ment Of a nation that violated the
territorial integrity or political in
oepeHoeuCc VI q SiShntOiy ~ tHe
treaty.
The President handled himself i'm
masterful fashion. He never hesitated
with an answer and seemed full of his
subject. The senators. moreover. dis
played no animuS or personal feeling
in their questions and accorded Mr..
Wilson the utmost courtesy. Indeed.
there was an entente cordiale Which
was assisted by Mr.. Wilson's invita-
ton to the senator's to lunch with
him after the conference.
Scene at White House Unique.
The scene was unique Nothing
like it ever happened before. The big
iron gates of the White House. which
have been locked during the greater
part of the war. were thrown open to
admit the several senator's, who came
big motors and limousines. some IN
their jitneys and some afoot .s,..'- .
One wondered what Clay or Web
Ster and the men of half century
ago would have thought OF the mod
err way Of calling on the President.
There was dignity in it|much the
same as one might expect to see in
Europe, but all seemed to feel that
the occasion was momentous-and
called for dignity. Peace treaties are
not considered every day.
The President greeted his guests
in the big east room. Secretary
Tumulty, stage manager of. the af-
fair. had arranged typewriters. desks
and facilities for newspapermen in
the corridors just below the east
room. Here came relays of expert
down about fifteen minutes of the de-
bate, would sit down beside typists
and dictate what had been said.
Correspondents Heard Dictation.
The correspondents heard the die
tation alongside of Secretary Tumulty
and other White House officials 1t
seemed like the running account Of a
foot ball or base ball match AS each
point was made correspondents turned
to one another and remarked. The
President certainly answered that
splendidly' or Senator Borah's got
him there" Nearly a hundred corre-
spondents We're gathered there. and
the public got textual account of
what was happening with unparal-
leled speed. The big press associa-
tions conveyed the transcript of the
debate to all parts of the country
and the world. 1t was as if the
4.
Everything was public-open diplo-
macy and modern means of commu-
nication working hand in hand.
Many Of the questions were technical
and of little interest to the average
observer. Many were legal. Many
involved disputes of long standing
about the power of a reservation or
that the United States might embody
her understanding of the treaty in the
text of the ratifying. resolution Mr.
Wilson answered again and again as
he did in the opening statement. He
feared it would open up the whole
thing anew. Other countries would
want reservations along lines Of do
of the treaty would be nulliffed. He
made it clear too that Germany's COZ
sent would be necessary.
Hesitancy in Asking Consent.
He didn't feel like asking Ger
manys consent to Americas under
standings. They might be embodied
in separate declarations and be a
notification of the limit of American
purpose, but contract was con-
tract and anything put in the ratify-
ing resolution that modified the con-
tract would impair the limits of the
contract
Mr.. Wilson made a anal appeal for
an unamended treaty, though he
clearly showed that he did not oppose
the program repeatedly suggested of
putting Americas understa nding of
the treaty in a joint resolution and
passing it separately. And this may
be the outcome Of it all, though many
of the senator's were not inclined to
accept Mr.. Wilson's judgment of what
would happen ii they did qualify the
treaty with reservations. But they
do know that Mr.. Wilson warned
them. And they must be ready to sc-
cept the political responsibility of de-