New-York tribune., 1920-10-28

York member Corporation Yale Uni
verstv
The Rev. Edward c. Moore. professor
OF dlvinlty, Harvard University.
r. ". Isussig, professor of political
economy, Harvard University.
John G. Agar, New York.
Wallace Macfarlane. New York.
Charles c. birmingham, New York.
Austen G. Fox, New York.
Robert Grier Monroe, New York.
Allen Wardwell, New York.
Henry A Gildersleeve, former Judge
OF the Supreme Court Of New York.
The Rev. DR.. Ralph B. Pomeroy. pro
lessor of law, General Theological
Seminary
Ellery sedgwick, editor The Atlantic
Monthly.
The Rev. Samuel Crothers, Unitarian
minister, Boston.
Joseph P. Cotton, New York.
Peter B. Olney, New York.
Henry De Forest Baldwin, New York.
Egerton L. Winthrop, New York.
Montgomery Hare, New York.
Text of Statement
The statement says, in part:
Neither The Democratic party nor
the Democratic candidate is bound to
an agreement containing the exact
provisions negotiated at Paris Presi-
dent Wilson, as far back as January
6, 1920, wrote Senator Hitchcock:
i have once more gone over the
reservations proposed by yourself
and l am glad to say that l can ac-
cept them as they stand
These so-called Hitchcock reserva-
tons afterward rejected by the Re-
publican Senator's may be fairly sum-
married as follows:
"First-Every member nation is to
be sole Judge as to whether its obliga-
tons, on retirement from the league,
have been performed
"Second-No member shall be re-
CURED to submit to the league any
matter which it considers in interna-
toral law a domestic question or one
relating to its internal or coastwise
'Third-Nothing in the league is to
be construed as impairng the prin-
oiple of the Monroe Doctrine or to
give the league any jurisdiction with
respect to it.
"Fourth-(T This is lteral)-That the
advice mentioned in Article X Of the
covenant of the league which the coun-
cli may give to the member nations a.
to the employment of their naval and
military forces is merely advice which
each member is free to accept or re-
lect, according to the conscience and
judgment of its then existing govern
ment, and in the United States this
Twice can only be accepted by action
of Congress at the time in being, Con
gfess alone under the Constitution of
the United States having the power to
declare war.
member of the league having SELF elf
governing colonies, represented in the
assembly, is party, or to which any
OF such colonies ls party, both the
member and all its colonies shall be
q squalltied from voting
governor Cox has expressly ap-
proved these reservations. He goes
further. He says:
bsInS we 70 VIII G,,:s aGeept any reservation that
reservation that helps to reassure We
W.. ~!t accept any reservation that helps TO
Us it not pure quibbllng 20 contend
that the fourth of the Hitchcock reser-
vatlons is not an unmistakable declara-
ton of our intention to act in good
falth upon our own judgment as to
whether in the circumstances of anv
particular case we shall employ mill
tary force?
"The respective positions Of the two
candidates may be stated correctly as
follows:
Mr.. Harding is definitely opposed to
the League of Nations as it now eX-
lists
He has no concrete or definite pro-
gram with respect to a substitute for
the league
He favors peace and good will be
tween peoples and is solcitous that
America shall not shirls It's duty to do
Whatever it believes it ought TO do to
promote them
"The only definite things to which
he has committed himself are
"(a) That he Will, if elected, assem-
bic conference of eminent citizens
representing an all-Amcmcan opiAion'
and will endeavor to negotiate new
arrangement looking to the mainte-
nance of international good will or.
barely possible, complete revision of
the existing constitution OF the league.
"(b) That whatever he undertakes to
accomplish must be something which
viii have behind it the united public
opinion of America which must mean
all elements of opinion important
enough to merit consideration.
Where Is there in this anything re-
motely lntimating a pledge or even an
intention on the part of Mr.. Harding
or his party to strive to give effective
HE to the existing League Of Nations,
even modified as Mr.. Root and his as
sociates advise? The Republican party
and its candidate merely ask the coun-
try for blank check without even a
pl etense of definite convictions or sre-
c.ic Intentions That this is a fair
statement can be amply demonstrated
by an examination of Mr. Harding's
speeches during the present campaign,
the proceedings of the national Repub-
lican convention and the national Re
publican platform.
"The position of Governor Cox is
that he is in favor of the ratification
OF the Treaty of Versailles, including
the Covenant of the League Of Ma
tions, the covenant being amended, lf
the judgment of the Senate after the
election so determines and The mem
bers Of the league consent, by the ac-
crptance Of the Hitchcock or eouiva-
lent reservations and in any other
manner necessary to clarity its terms
to strengthen the effectiveness Of the
league or to reassure the American
puh hlic as to any antiquities or doubts +
which may be raised by the covenant
as 1T now exists.
What, then, becomes of the conclu-
5 on that to preserve the league one
should vote for Mr.. Harding?
at is certain that either Governor
Cox or Senator Harding viii be
elected President. We know from his
public statements that if Governor Cox
IS elected he Will endeavor whole
leartedly and in no partisan spirit to
ind way, satisfactory both to tnc