Evening journal., 1920-01-28
The Monroe D. { rine
i'm The Wilson Covenant
lFrom the New YorK Sun J

was as characteristic as his method oi
drafting the Regional understandings
amendment, under pressure from his
supporters here at home When he
came, at the plenary session Of April
%, TO expOund the significance OF some
Of the alterations that have been made
he devoted just four words TO the sub
ject OF the Monroe Doctrine change In
the League fabric Article XXI," hC
said 10 the Conference, "is new
And he has been insisting ever since
that Article XXI. like the rest of his
sef-determinod handlwork, must moi
be changed even by the dottlng OF an
81" or the crossing a "t." Even II
the heavens fall, the Senate must leave
his regional understandings master
piece untouched.
Professor Myers shows today in
his letter 10 The Sun dhat while the
Official text Of the treaty In English
signifies one thing with regard 10 the
sanctlty and force Of the Monroe Doc
trlne, the official text Of the treaty in
French signifies quite a different
thing, perhaps a dlametrcally oppo-
site thirg with regard TO that sub
iect. The construction OF this nation
al obligation. II Il should become a ma
tional obligation in the form OF obsti-
nately demanded Of the Senate by the
President would depend altogether, so
far as the League was concerned, upon
the supergovernment's own choice OF
official version as between English and
French. and hen on the construction
which the League interprets might put
upon The extremely loose phraseology
Of the article itself, whichever version
should be adopted as definite.
Whether Professor Myers is right or
wrong in his view Of the plain i'm
plicatiOn Of the French text at this
point. the fact remains that the con-
fusion Of purpose and tho evasion Of
direct statement leave the Monroe
Doctrine away up in the air. The on
way TO get II down and TO plant II
squarely on two feet on solid Ameri-
can ground Is to write our own reser-
walton or amendment Of construction
and application, and 10 write it so
clearly that there can never be in any
quarter OF the globe any misunder-
standing or doubt. OF what the United
states Government means to do with
regard TO the Monroe Doctrine. The
Lodge reservation on this point sup
ported by a majority OF the American
senator's. with slightly different opln-
ions about the most desirable phrase
ology TO be employed. is aimed al this
characteristics performance Of the au-
.hor OF the covenant.
At how many other points room IS
eft between Frerch and English texts
'or similar MISUNDERSTANDING and
conflicting constructions of the instru-
nent with which President Wilson |
las demanded that we shall bird our
uture can be determined only by the I
most minute and deliberate consldera-
ion OF its complexities. in gross and /
n detail: and this Is what the Ameri- |
AN people have come 10 perceive and .
10 demand.
The clearing up Of Article XXI /
night be a legitimate enterprise for
Mr Taft's League 10 Enforce Peace, ]
provided the state Of It's treasury (
permits the undertaking. The sun, by
he way. has before 70 a somewhat pa
.hetfc private appeal to the faith /
'ul. signed by the treasurer OF that
and dated only last Mon |
lay. stating that "the League was
recently 10 borrow $4,000,
md now needs funds with which to
'epay this amount and continue its
work" Dull times?