The Chattanooga news. [volume] (Chattanooga, Tenn.) 1891-1939, 1919-08-21

was QueStlonaple Whetner u
can be said that the league Of ma.
tons is in any true sense, created
by association Of only three Of
the allied and associated gov
ernments"
Will Reduce Living Costs.
| As to the question of when normal
| conditions might be restored, the
| president said he could only express
the confident opinion that immediate
ratification OF the treaty and accept
| ance of the covenant Of the league as
written, would Certainly, within the
near future, reduce the cost of liv-
ing" both in this country and abroad
through the restoration of production
and commerce to normal.
To Senator Falls question relat-
ing to the disposition of Germany's
possessions the president said the
arrangement of the treaty conveyed
40 title to the allied or associated
powers, but merely entrusts dispo-
sition of the territory in question to
their decision"
"Germany's renunciaton In favor
Of the principal allied and associated
powers, the president continued, 'ot
her rights and titles TO her overseas
possessions is meant similarly to op-
crate as vesting in those powers a
trusteeship with respect of their f.
nal disposition and government"
Could Never Efface Stain.
In the text of his reply, President
Wilson says:
ITO abandon our associates in
the war in the settlement of the
terms of peace" the president
asserted in his answer, would put
"a stain upon our national honor
which we could never efface."
Il feel CONSTRAINED" the presi-
dent wrote, "to say In reply to
your first question not only that
in my Judgment ! have not the
power NJ proclamation TO declare
tfiat peace exists, but that I
could in no circumstances con-
sent to take such a course prior
to the ratification of a formal
treaty Of peace. I feel 1t due to
perfect frankness to say that 1t
would In my opinion, put a stain
upon our national honor which
we never could efface II, after
sending our men to the battlefield
to fight the common cause, we
should abandon our associates in
the war in the settlement of the
terms Of peace and disassociate
ourselves from all responsibility
in regard to those terms.
respectfully suggest that hav-
ing said this, have in effect, an
swered also your second, third
and fourth questions, so far as I
myself am concerned
Permit me to answer your
fifth question by saying that the
provisions Of the treaty to which
you refer operate merely to estab-
lish between the powers ratfy-
ing, and that it is questionable
whether 1t can be said that the
league Of nations is In any true
sense created by the association
OF only three of the allied and as
ISOLATED governments.
In reply to your sixth question,
can only express the confident
opinion that the immediate
adoption Of the treaty, along with
the articles Of the covenant of
the league as written, would
certainly, within the near future,
reduce the cost Of living in this
country as elsewhere, by restor-
ing production and commerce to
their normal strength and free
dom.
For your convenience. will
number the remaining para
graphs OF this letter as the ques-
tions to which they are intended
to reply are numbered.
SEVENTH have had no Of
fcial information as to whether
Norway. Sweden, Denmark, Hol-
land or Switzerland will Join the
league.
Eighth answered your eighth
question in reply to question
asked me at our conference the
other day.
Ninth-In February, 1871,
Spain was requested to take
charge of American interests in
Germany through her diplomatic
and consular representatives and
no other arrangement has since
been made.
Tenth-The committee TO pre-
pare plans for the organization
Of the league, for the establish
ment of the seat of the league and
for the proceedings Of the first
!
been appointed but has not re-
ported.
Eleventh-Article 1lS Of the
peace treaty, part ", under
which Germany,renounces all her
rights to territory formerly be-
LONGING to herself or TO her al
lies, was. understood, so far as
special provision was not made in
the treaty itself for its disposi-
ton, as constituting the princi-
pal allied and associated pow I
ers the authority by which such /
disposition should ultimately he 5
determined. 1t conveys no title I
to those powers but merely en-
trusts the disposition Of the ter :
ritory in question to their de-
Csions. a
"Twelfth-Germanys renuncia- g
tion in favor of the principal al
lied and associated powers Of her
rights and tit1es 70 bnr