The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1920-03-26
BUT WHAT DOES II MEAN7.

Now that the senate. by d vote Of
56 to 26, has adopted the Lodge-Borah
reservation to Article x, OF the cove
narff Of the league OF nations, perhaps
Senator Lodge or Senator Borah win
tell the country precisely what the
reservation means.
The text Of it is as follows:
The United States assumes no obli-
cations to preserve the territorial in
tegrity or political independence OF
any other country by the employment
of its military or naval forces, its re-
sources or any form of economic dis
elimination, or to interfere in any
way in controversies between nations,
including all controversies relating to
| territorial integrity or political indie
pendence, whether members of the
league or not, under the provisions of
Article X, or to employ the military
or naval forces of the United States,
under any article of the treaty for
any purpose. unless in any particular
case the congress, which under the
constitution has the Sole power to de
CidlC wal VI duluOI1LG tile GIlUIOY-
ment Of the military or naval forces
of the United States, shall in the exer-
else of full liberty of action, by act or
joint resolution, so provide.
Does this mean that the represent
alive of the United States in the as
sembly and council of the league Of
nations shall not vote on any question
relating to the political independence
or the territorial integrity of another
country unless congress in that .'par
ticular case" has told the delegate
how to vote? Does it mean that the
representatives of the United States
must not participate in the discussion
of any controversy between nations
or express an opinion on the nature
of the joint action that should be ta-
ken to preserve peace unless congress
first authorizes him to open his mouth
and speak? Or does it mean none OF
these things. but simply that the army
and navy can be employed only by
the action of congress, which is one
of the elementary facts of the consti-
tuition that no treaty can change or
modify?
The Lodge-Borah reservation may
mean anything or it may mean moth
ing. We strongly suspect that it
means nothing. If it is in any sense a
restriction upon the constitutional
powers of the president over the con
duct of foreign relations it is waste
paper, for the senate can neither add
to nor subtract from those powers.
The world does not believe that any
president wrtoh his salt would ever
pay the slightest attention to the
Lodge Borah reservation to Article X.
He would not recognize the right Of
the senate to impose any limitations
upon the exercise of his constitutional
authority. He would discharge the
moral obligations of the United States
under the covenant of the League and
consult congress only in regard to the
exercise OF those powers that are
vested in congress.
Although the Lodge reservations
are intended to inflict the maximum
injury upon the League of Nations at
the outset and to covince the world
that the American people view the ex-
pertinent with grave distrust and veil
ed hostility, their legal status is de-
cidely dubious.
In the last analysis. is the Lodge.
Borah resolution to Article X any
thing more than an empty form Of
words? If it is, will Senator Lodge
or Senator Borah interpret it and ex
plain it? Do they themselves know
what it means? What restrictions
does it legally impose upon the free
action of the United States in the
League of Nations? World.