The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1920-02-20
PRESIDENT MORE AUT0CRATIG THAN
ANY SOVEREIGN IN CIVILIZATION
Continued nom page one.)

deeenerates. The other Is to stop a
multitude of tnterferences, ill-judged
although well-meant, with the natural
course OF business through which
alone natural laws can operate to re-
store normal conditions"
The appeal Of President Wilson in
October, 1918, for. the election of a
Democratic Congress, he declared, was
mot merely an injustice to the Re-
publican Senators and Representatives
who with splendid loyalty had sup
ported every forward step of the ad-
ministratfons but at was demand
for the continuance of supreme pow
or by the election of Congress which
would submit itself to the orders of an
executive acting at once as a party
leader in politics, and a dictator in
government. 1t was the instinct OF
American democracy that repealed
the demand Such long has been the
government of Mexico. A government
with a Louis Napoleon at one end
and plebiscite at the other and with
naught but su'bservience between is
not free republic. 1t is autocracy
by consent.
THE Presidents defiance of the
authority of the Senate to advise up
ON the covenant Of the League of Ma
tons and to give or withhold its con-
sent TO the ratification of the Treaty
containing it, he continued, was an
assertion OF right to continue the
same autocratic power. 1t was a chal
ienge to the right of any officer OF
the United States government to ex-
ercise his powers in any way which
had not the approval of the chief ex-
ecutiye.
THE President had the Constitu-
tional authority and duty to negotiate
q treaty. The Senate had the Consti-
tutional authority and duty to advise
and to consent or refuse to consent
in accordance with their judgment
The right to perform that duty was
challenged, by all the tremendous
power Of a President commanding mil
lions of civil and military subordinates
andcontrolling the expenditures of bill.
lions of money. Senators were threat.
ened II they did not submit their
Judgment to the Presidential will"
The treaty they were called upon
to consider, Mr.. Root declared, was
fatally defective in several respects
not only from the standpoint of the
vital interests of the United States
but considered as an instrument de-
signed to secure the future peace OF
the world" It was the duty of the
Senators, he said, to '.test the true
meaning of every paragraph, to con-
slider the conditions which the pro-
visions were to meet, to estimate the
human forces of self-interest and
prejudice and passion under the in
Thence of which the treaty was to
be applied, and to form their OWL
Judgment upon the results which
would be prejudiced for America and
for civilization.
The reservations adopted by the
Senate, he insisted, remedy, so ia,
as the United States is concerned,
the chief objections to the treaty.
They prevent our entrance into the
League of Nations from Ibeing ar
abandonment of the Monroe Doctrine
with irreparable injury to the United
States and no benefits to the rest OF
the world
Especially important, asserted Mr.
Root. Is that they prevent the "in-
credible mistake" of Article X. The
Agreement in that article "to pre-
serve as against external aggression
the Territorial integrity and existing
political independence of all members
Of the league" he argued, binds the
United States when occasion arises
to defend every member Of the
League by armed force agains exter-
nal aggression mo matter what ouI
people at the time think about the
right and wrong of the controversy
or about the wisdom or folly of en-
tering upon it.
IT seems clear to me that in the
interests of the worlds peace, which
all America desires to promote this
treaty ought to be ratified with the
reservations of the Senate, and thai
without those reservations in theil
fair and honest substance it ought moi
TO be ratified. i hope the treaty will
be ratified with the reservations lont
before the Presidential election. Tha
win be done IL the President permits
it. If that is not done, then that is
what think the Republican party
ought to stand for.
Immediately after the fourth Of
March, 1921, Republican President
should urge upon the Society of Ma.
lions the reform Of the League Cove.
nant so as to make it establish the
rule Of public right rather than the
rule of mere expediency, so as to
make the peace of the world rest
I