Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1920-07-29

Germ about the governors views on
the league of nations, for he has stud
led the question thoroughly and
knows the difference between reser-
vations that nullify and reservations
that reassure the American people
absolutely on questions of sover-
eighty, Independence and the making
of war.
From the Ohio point of view, as
the writer gathers il from sources
here friendly to Cox, it would be
much better strategy for the Presi-
dent to make public at this time what
he told Gov. Cox in their CONVEX
sation two weeks ago rather than to
wait until after the speech of ac-
ceptance For already friends of the
democratic nominee are saying
privately that the Cox visit TO the
White House may have been good
thing to reassure Wilson democrats.
but, on the other hand, it made other
democrats and Independents wonder
how far Cox would be Obliged to
swallow all the defects of the Will
son administration.
Resentment to BE Overcome
Gov Cox was not in Washington
either in the legislative or the executive
branch of the government, and so far
as he is personally concerned, he is tree
10 rriticise freely anything the wilson
administration did. Unless he eNhihlts
suoh independence. there are many
democrats who think his chances of
getting the independent vote will be
seriously affected. for no matter how
laudatory the democratic convention
NAV have been concerning All the pefi-
cies of the democratic administration
OF the last seven and "a half years, there
is resentment to overcome OF more or
less the same sort that faced the Roose-
Welt administration and the Taft ad-
mjpistration at the close of their re-
SpectiVe terms.
Fundamentally the President mas the
right to expect agreement on the part
of the democratic nominee with respect
to the league of nations issue. That
is important. not alone because Mr..
Wilson wills it, but because plenty of
democratic voters. especially IN the
west. feel the same way But the Ohio
governor is not bound to stand for the
treaty without qualification He need
nor insist that it be accepted as written
in Paris. The President may have felt
bound by his signature to the Versailles
treaty 10 urge its adoption without
United States can advocate changes
without feeling embarrassed. The only
difference is that the changes shall
really not destroy the purpose or ma
chinery of the league itself.
Cox Sure Reservations necessary.
II will be remembered that Presi-
don wilson's support of any reserva-
lions whether interpretative or con-
structive. has been rather lukewarm,
and his opponents succeeded in i'm
Wanting an impression of obstinacy
hecallse Mr. Wilson was unwilling,
for instance, to say fatty that he
would accept the Hitchcock reserva-
lions Moreover. at the democratic
national convention it was after con-
siderable debate and difficulty that a
clause was inserted favoring reserva-
lions that would make Americas OBJ
legations under the treaty and league
clearer and more specific"
But the addition of reservations is
considered by Gov. Cox an absolute
necessity, for while he may agree
with the President that the language
of the covenant is clear enough for
statesmen and others who have an
alyzed legal phraseology very close
ly, nevertheless it isn't clear to the
people who have been hearing oppo-
sition speeches.
Gov. Cox's views on the league viii
be found to be in accord with the
Wilson purpose and ideals, but the
tactics he will pursue in the cam
paign will leave no doubt that he is
willing to stand for reservations that
completely remove all doubts and
am biguity about Americas sovereign
ty and indepe ndence and that abso-
lutely erase the impression of Amer
ica's obligation to go to war against
her own will and against the wish OF
her Congress.
Copyright. 1921