Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1919-07-25
JONES IN FAVOR Of
LEAGUE OF NATIONS
But THINKS SENATE SHOULD
MAKE "DECLARATORY RESER.
VATIONS" OF ITS VIEWS

Views generally approving the
plan of the League of Nations. which
| he hedged about with references to
vague "declaratory reservations. )"
were expressed by Senator Wesley l..
Jones in talks he made in Seattle
and Tacoma the other day.
Though he neglected to state what
his attitude would be, should the
league finally be reported back to the
senate without reservations, the sen.
ator expressed his readiness to vote
at once on the main question. In
MS talks he strongly criticised the
president for his efforts to have the
treaty ratified without reservation.
Il see that the President is insist.
Ing that the covenant must be ratified
without any reservations" Senator
Jones said. THAT is his privilege
But the duty of acting on this COW
enant and treaty of peace now rests
on the senate. He has performed his
work, 1t seems, as he thought he
ought to do. 1t is certainly most
arbitrary and autocratic, and rather
presumptuous, to assume that his
judgment is conclusive and should
be accepted without question.
1T is the duty of every senator, il
he believes certain changes or resrva.
tions should be made, to do what he
can to make such changes. To ask a
senator to support proposition be-
cause the President wants it is un-
American and violative of the fun
damental principles of government.
/ firmly believe that certain reserva-
lions are for the best interests of the
country and the league of nations.
These reservations can be made with
out delaying the treaty.
Such reservations will be declara-
tory of our understanding of the COM
pact. They will be accepted by every
nation that is anxious for the league.
We do not need this compact for our
own protection. Other nations do.
If they are not willing to accept our
membership in the league with the
understanding we have of it's COW
enants. then it is of little Importance.
If the covenant of the league of ma
lions means to the people of the
world what it's sponsors say it does,
then the world will gladly accept our
membership in it with the clear un-
dcrstanding of our Interpretation of
its terms. The proposed covenant
has been made and We must act up
on it,
The senator anticipates much politi-
cal maneuvering in connection with
the ratification of the covenant and
treaty, and refused to commit him.
self along certain phases in order to
put no tools in the hands of those
who might make use of them. He
explained that some of the senators
would in all probability oppose GER
tain reservations that would really
benefit the treaty in order to make
it's ratification more difficult.
Il do not like Article X myself" he
II think it could have
well been left out. But it is there. I
feel sure that the people of this
country would not consent that their
boys should be taken to any foreign
land at the dictation or command of
any nation or set of nations and no
Congress would consent to it, es-
pecially where the peace and safety
OF this country are not endangered
Nor do ! believe that the people of
this country are willing that we com
NIT ourselves beforehand to do any
thing of this kind. However, I do
not believe article X commits us to
anything of this sort or can be con-
strued to do SO when taken in con-