Omaha daily bee., 1920-02-09
THE HITCHCOCK RESERVATIONS.

When consideration Of the Treaty OF Yer
sailes is resumed in the senate this week, as it
probably will be, interest will center on the at
titude OF the minority. This, in turn, win in 4
great measure depend on the disposition Of the
president If Mr.. Wilson's letter to Senator
Hitchcock, published on Sunday morning, rea-
sonably reflects the mind of the writer, the end
of the controversy is much nearer. The presi-
dent in substance expresses willingness to ac-
cept the Hitchcock reservation to Article X,
although indulgng in misgivinss as to its ef-
feet.
The Hitchcock reservation differs from the
Lodge reservation as to the verbiage with re-
gard to the declaration of war, but expressly
excepts the economic war provided for in
Article XVI. The council of the League of
Nations will be permitted to declare boycott
and the United States obliged to follow. AS
economic war is very near akin to physical war
fare the probabilities are that the congress will
not forego its control over this matter. The
Hitchcock reservation received Al votes when
it was submitted to the senate last Novem-
ber after having been endorsed by the demo-
cratic caucus.
Mr.. Wilson INDUCES some apprehension lest
the frank statement of the reservation may
"chill our relationship with the nation with
which we expect to be associated in the great
enterprise of maintaining the worlds peace"
He says he has never seen the slightest reason
to doubt the good faith of our associates in
the war;" or that they would seek to commit
US to lines of action which, under our constitu-
ton, only the congress of the United States can
in the last analysis decide" This is the presi-
dents most noteworthy utterance since he de-
clared the treaty must be accepted in its en-
tirety. 1t denotes a considerable progress in
direction of the position taken by the senate.
As to good faith, nothing has been done that
would warrant any nation in questioning that
OF the United States. The conservative ap-
proach to new and extra-constitutonal pro-
gram of government is the most substantial
proof we could give Of our good faith as a ma
ton. We are pledging ourselves to do only
those things we can do with reasonable GER
tanty 1t may be that our form Of government
is not sufficiently elastic to permit assumption
of full share "in the great enterprise of main
tanning the worlds peace" but history amply
warrants the belief that we have done just that
very thing. If we can maintain the good faith
we always have kept, it will be far stronger
bulwark than can be afforded by any league or
combination of nations.
The presidents suggestion as to permitting
the exercise of the veto power on the resolu-
ton of withdrawal does not involve anything
of particular Importance. other than that it ap-
pears to anticipate divergence of views between
the executive and Legislative departments. His
acceptance of reservation as to mandataries
is equally significant of his changing views.
1t now appears likely that an understand
ing may be reached on the treaty, since the
president has come to comprehend that the fail |
ure of his personal plan will not break the great
heart of the world. |