The Greeneville daily sun. (Greeneville, Tenn.) 1918-1920, 1920-07-21
THE DEMOCRATS AND THE LEAGUE.

THE DEMOCRATS AND THE LEAGUE.
Notwithstanding the Walsh amendment, the treaty
plank Of the Democratic platform supports the Pres
dents attitude and action. It also eommends the Demo
cratic senators who voted as the President wished ii
opposition to ratRcatioB with the Lodge reservations
and robukes, BY implication the Democratic senators
practically equal in number who voted for RATIFICATION
with these reservations That to say it indorses the
impossible and condemns the practicable It is to be
presumed that Mr. Wilson and the Democratic party
desire the ratification Of the treaty Of Versailles The
contamination of this compact means more to the Pres
ident and the party than any other issue in the
paign. Yet if the Democratic party should triumph at
the election in November ratification upon the Demo
cratic basis would be as impossible Of accomplishment
as has been during the past year. The supporters of
cause it does not weaken their position The platform
ndorses ehe Presidents views Of international OBJ
legations, and his firm stand against reservations de-
signed to cut to pieces the vital provision Of the Yer
ailes treaty." and says, farther that 1--WE advocate the
immediate ratification Of the treaty without reservations
which would impair its essential integrity but" and here
follows the Walsh amendment, do not oppose the
ceptance Of any reservations making clearer or spe
cfc the obligation Of the United States to the league
associates"
There is in this declaration specific condemnation
of the Lodge reservations as being designed to cut to
pieces the vital provisions Of the treaty and there is
nothing in the Walsh amendment to modify that posi-
ton Reservations making clearer more specific the
obligation Of the United States to the league associates
hold out no promise Of any sort Of compromise that
would permit ratification Indeed, reservations that
merely made our obligations ''clearer more specific
would not be reservations at ALL They could be nothing
more than interpretations that would in way modify
our obligations either in their nature or their extent
and the Republican senators have Insisted and beyond
question will continue to insist upon reservations that
do modify our obligations in both nature and extent
More than that's AS to Article TO- the OF the whole
controversy they insist that the United States cannot
assume any obligations at all under unless in any par
ticular case the Congress shall SO provide
The treaty cannot be ratified unless twothifds OF the
Senate votes for ratification The question must be set
tied in the United States Senate cannot be settled at
the polls Even should the Democratic party be over
victorious in the November election, re-
suit which no Democrat expects there would still remain
enough determined Republicans in the Senate to prevent
The ratification Of the treaty without reservations salts
factory to them The probability that there will be
at least as many Republicans in the next Senate as in
ire present one and in most they win be the same
men, strengthened rather than weakened in their oppo
,ton by the irrtations of national campaign. With
he election Of Democratic successor to Mr.. Wilson,
ratification of the treaty would be utterly impossible
he new administration adhered to the position announced
n the San Francisco platform. The position taken in
he Committee on Resolutions by Senator Walsh, Of Mon
ona 1.-THE amendment we have quoted came from Walsh,
# Massachusetts end Senator Pomercne of Ohio, was
he attitude of practical craftsmanship which seeks to get
esuts Their contention was chat the nominee should
pledged to make such concessions might be neces
cry to secure ratification and they told the committee
,ainy that there was hope Of ratification without
notification That this is a solemn truth every enc
nows who has followed the Senate proceedings and
Who understands that the question must be settled in
he Senate and cannot be settled anywhere else The
reaty of Versailles is, it stands, product OF COM
romse, Of many compromises, among the representa-
ives gathered at the Peace Conference No great com
act of this character created without comfo
nise Our own constitution is result Of numerous COM
romses. The differences of opinion the manner
ratification of this treaty are such that ratification
annot be accomplished without compromise, and in the
ostion the Democratic party has taken it sacrifices
-umph of glorious achievement for the futile vanity
an opinion.--St Louis Gobe-Democrat. IS
NOT ASKED TO LOOK PLEASANT. !