The New York herald. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1920-1924, 1920-10-23
Keep the Record Straight as to
Wilson and Cox and Article ".

downright falsehood in this campaign
than in any other Presidential con-
test within the memory Of men,"
Proceeding to illustrate, our neigh
Dor seriously cites President WILSON'S
letter to poor HITCHCOCK of Nebraska
as proof that President WILSON did
not insist upon the acceptance of his
Covenant absolutely unchanged" and
| that he and Governor Cox are there
fore absolutely at one" in a willing.
ness ito accept reservations that
clarity. strengthen ard explain, in
Guiding a reservation pointing. out
that any act of war on our part must
have the authorization Of Congress. y
We quote Cox.
The illustration would seem humor.
Gus in the extreme If it were not so
seriously intended. Last January
when Mr.. HITCHCOCK was doing his
level best to prevent the slightest
wound to the Presidents unappeas-
able vanity Of authorship, that unfor-
/ tunate Senator submitted TO the White
House a form of compromise resolu-
ton on Article Y. declaring that the
United States assumed no obligation
to employ military or economic force
to preserve the territorial or political
| independence of any other country
unless In any particular case the
Congress, in the exercise of its exclu-
sive constitutional power to declare
war, should by act or joint resolution
so provide.
A truism, of course, which even the
author Of Article Y. could not attempt
to controvert.
But what did President WILSON
do? On January 90 he wrote "cor
daily and sincerely" to the Senatorial
representative of his self-determined
policy, adhering TO the substance" Of
the foregoing declaration as to the
constitutional authority of Congress-
but adding:
unfortunate. any reservations or
resolution stating that the United
States assumes no obligation under
such aud such an article 'snless or
ezcepr would. am sure. chill our
relationship with the nations with
which we expect to be associated in
-
the worlds peace"
Furthermore, President WILSON
then notified his submissive agent In
the Senate that the association under
the Covenant involved very serious
and far reaching Implications of
honor and duty" which made 1t "the
more important not TO create the i'm
preston that we are trying to escape
obligations"
SO much for the Times's reference
to the letter TO HITcHcocK as evil
dence OF the openmindedness and flcx>
lbtlity Of Mr.. WILSON'S attitude and
intentions respecting the accursed Ar
ticle n, HITcHcocK was promptly,
il cordially and sincerely" snubbed
when he attempted to dispose of Ar
ticle y. in way that would not give
the lie direct 20 his eminent princ.-
pals reiterated professions while In
Europe
Precisely the same obstinate unwill-
ingness to permit his workmanship on
the interviewer Covenant to be touched
by any other hand was recorded by
the President half year later when
he was In conference with the Sepatc
Committee on Foreign Relations at
the White House on August 10, 1919.
Declaring then in answer to Senator
KNOX that our undertaking by treaty
20 send United tes soldiers or ships
Of war to protect the frontiers of any
League nation anywhere on the face
Of the earth would constitute not
legal but an absolutely compelling
moral obligation" Mr.. WILSON vas
asked by Senator McCUMBrR:
do you not think that It would be
well to have reservation inserted IN
our resolution that shall 40 cons,rue
that section lArticie XII az 20 make
II clear. not only TO tho American
people but to the world. that Congress
may use It's own Judgment as TO what
II will do, and that It's failure to fol-
low the judgment OF The Council will
not be considered breach OF the
agreement"
The Presidents reply conceded with
his reply TO Mr.. TIITcHcocR
II fhink " would be very sericus
practical mistake to Put 70 IN the
resolution Of ratification, but do
hope that we arc at liberty. contem-
poraneously with our acceptance of
the treaty. TO interpret our moral
obligations under that article"
That Is to say, he was willing to