The New York herald. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1920-1924, 1920-10-20


United States should insist upon being
satisfied that the settlements are cor
rect?'
Upon both OF these reports It is per-
fectly plain that the consideration upon
which Runania and Serbia were urged
TO consent to limitation Of their SOW
ereignty was a guarantee OF that SOW
ereignty by the United states with the
justified understanding that the guar
antee OF need be) would be made good
by sending armies and fleets across the
sea- That guarantee was contained in
Article X. and that is what Article X.
means
Doubts Wilson'S InfaIiibfIity.
'T do not question Mr. Wilson's belief
that the dispositions OF the treaty for
which he was contending on the 31st of
May. 1919, were just and fair. / do not
question his belief that all the other
multitude Of dispositions of those
treaties which undertook to make over
Eastern Europe were fair. or were ex-
pedient, or were the best that could be
done under the circumstances but
without disrespect do question Mr.
Wilson's infallibIlity l do question the
complete control CT abstract justice in
the processes by which the four mon
who dictated those treaties reached their
I conclusions. have an impression that
/ there was the accommodation of conflict
! ing interests. the giving OF something
/ here to get something there, the yield
| ing of some things in order to avoid
/ losing others the shading of Justice by
expediency which has characterized
such conferences since history began.
At the best they were not inerrant. 1t
would have been impossible not to over
look some things and to make some
mistakes. I have q strong impression
that some OF their conclusions were
mistakes.
"And I think Il most Objectionable
that the American people shall enter into
a solemn and positive agreement to
guarantee and maintain by force of
arms for all time the dispositions of
territory and sovereignty which these
four men made In the year 1919. That
is part of what Article x undertakes
to do.
About the worst thing In the relations
between nations is to make q treaty and
break II. To maintain the faith of
treaties Is a prime necessity for the
peace OF the world. To manufacture
treaties that are to be but scraps of
paper is fatal to the moral standards
through which alone peace can be pre-
served.
I'VE are told:
There is nothing in the covenant
which in the least interferes with or
impairs the right of Congress to declare
war or not declare war, according to its
own independent judgment. as our Con-
sttution provides
wouId Violate Covenant.
but, IL we have entered into the
guarantee of Article x. and circum-
stances arise which require war to make
good the guarantee as described by the
President in his speech of May 81, 1919,
then refusal OF Congress to pass the
necessary resolution would be breach
of the covenant, and the only independ-
ent Judgment Of Congress would be
whether our Government should keep the
treaty or break It.
What Is the probability of the United
states making good such guarantee?
Making war nowadays depends upon
the genuine sympathy of the people of
the country at the time when they are
called upon to fight. 1t must be a cause
the people are interested in. believe in.
are willing to fight for and make sac
rifices for at the time. No agreement
made by any Government years before
Will carry the American people into n
war in which they are not Interested. or
which they do not at the time deem just
There was a time when Governments
controlled peoples and could make war
Eat Will but in these days no Government
of free democracy can deliver its
people upon the field of battle except by
the peoples win at that time.
| ut is a practical certainty that II the
! American Government enters into the
obligations OF Article X. so positive in
lts terms. SO broad in it's scope, so I'M
limited in its duration. the time will
presently come Gas IL has already come
swiftly TO Western Europe) when the
United States will be called upon TO make
good its guarantee by force and when
the people OF the United States will be
unwilling to make the sacrifice of life
and treasure to carry on war In. distant
land for a cause of which they know
little and for which they care less. The
presence of such a stipulation in the
league covenant Is an element of struc-
tural weakness IN the scheme for
covenant violated in any material part
ceases to be enforceable.
United Action Necessary.
an all efforts to secure united action
among nations In this world of widely
differing character and opinion and
a matter of vital Importance not merely
to secure agreements which correspond
to absract standards Of right. but TO
limit agreements so that they will not
violate too suddenly and sharply exist
ing standards OF conduct with the result
that they are not observed. and the
whole agreement falls.
"Whcn the Peace Conference met In
Paris there were two quite separate
and distinct duties before II.
zone of these duties was 70 determine
and impose upon the Central Powers the
terms Of peace. The other duty was to
propose to the world an organization for
the preservation Of future peace.
"The first duty was the final stage Of
the war itself. 1t was the imposition
OF the viii OF the conquering nations
upon the conquered nations. II involved
taking away great territories from the
vanquished nations and distributing