The Washington herald., 1920-07-21

economic discrimination" and 70
emphasize the full discretion re-
served to Congress to act or not un-
der Article Y by use of the phrase
"in the exercise of full liberty of
action"
In other words. both these forms
Of reservations completely destroy
ed any binding or legal obligation
of the United States to the other
members of the league to join in
maintaining their integrity or in
dependence when attacked and left
IL wholly to Congress- discretion
to act or not
Attitude of Hitchcock.
But the Democrats went quite
as far. Mr.. Hitchcock, speaking for
forty Democratic Senators, ALI but
seven of the whole number. agreed
to support either ono or two res
eryations as to Article x. The first
one was as follows:
The United States assumes no
obligation to employ its military
or naval forces or the economic
boycott to preserve the territorial
integrity or political Independence
visions OF Article X. or to employ
the military or naval forces OF the
United States for any purpose un-
less in any particlur case the Con-
gress which. under the Constitu-
tion has the sole power to declare
war. shall by set or joint resolu-
ton so provide. Nothing herein
shall be deemed to impair the OBJ
legation in Article XVI concerning
the economic boycott"
The only difference between this
reservation and those supported by
the Republicans Is that In the later
Republican form use of resources,
in addition to that of the army.
the navy and a boycott Is express
Iy refused. In other respects there
is no difference.
The other reservation offered by
the Democrats in the alternative
was even more sweeping. 1t was
as follows:
The United States declines to
assume any legal or binding OBJ
Iibation to preserve the territorial
integrity or political Independence
of any other country under the pro-
visions of Article x or to employ
the military or naval forces of the
United States under any article Of
the treaty for any purpose; but
the Congress, which, under the
has the sole power in
the premises. will consider and de-
eide what moral obligation, IL any
under the circumstances of any par
ticuIar case, when IL arises, should
move the United States in the in
terest of world peace and justice
to take action therein and act ac-
OBLIGATION Destroyed
This reservation destroys the OBJ
legation of the United States under
Article X as fully and completely
az either of the Republican reser-
yatIons and leaves the whole ques-
tion of the duty Of the United
States to Congress when the case
arises.
In other words, all these reserva-
tiona, Republican and Democratic,
do the same thing: they take the OBJ
LEGATION out Of the Article y, so
far as the United States is con-
cerned. and leave the whole matter
10 Congress when called upon. In
II IL hardly too much to say
that ten or twenty years hence the
Senator's who disputed over these
will md much difficulty, unless
their memories are refreshed. in
saying which particular reserva-
tlons they respectively supported.
Ths forty Democrats who offered
and signed these reservations were
the orthodox administration Demo-
Gratis. Seventeen Of them voted for
the Republican reservations, the
second time and including other
Democrats not so orthodox. they