The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1920-08-08

III would keep us in permanent com.
pany with Germany. Russia, Turkey
and Mexico. 1t would entail, In the
ultimate, more real injury than tho
war itself. The Democratic position on
the question, as explained in the
platform, is:
Quotes Platform on League
I'VE advocate immediate ratifica.
ton Of the treaty without reservations
which would impair its essential in
tegrity, but do not oppose the ac-
ceptance Of any reservation making
clearer or more specific the obi.
cations Of the United States to the
league associates
The first duty of the new admin.
istration clearly will be the ratifi-
cation of the treaty. The matter
should be approached without thought
of the bitterness of the past. The
public verdict will have been render.
ed and ! am confident that the
friends of the world peace as it will
be promoted by the league, will have
in number the constitutional re
quisite TO favorable senatorial action.
The captious may say that our plat
form reference to reservations Is vague
and indefinite. Its meaning, in brief,
is that we shall state our interprc-
tation of the covenant as a matter
OF good faith to our associates and
as a precaution against any misunder.
standing in the future. The point
is that altar tho vaanIa ghaI ko xya
spoken, the league will be in the
hands Of its friends of the senate,
and a safe index as to what they
will do is supplied by what reser-
vations they have PROPOSED in the
past. Some months ago, in a con-
tributed article to the New York
Times, l expressed my own opinion
of the situation as 1t then was. I
reproduce it here:
His Stand Unchanged
There can be no doubt but that
some senators have been conscien-
tious In their desire to clarity the
provisions of the treaty. Two things
apparently nave disturbed them: First,
they wanted to make sure that the
league was not to be an alliance. and
that its basic pose was peace and not
controversy. Second, they wanted
the other powers signing the instru-
ment to understand our constitution.
al limitations beyond which the treaty.
making power cannot go. Dealing
with these W questions in order,
1t has always seemed to me that the
Interpretation of the function Of the
league might have been stated in
these words.
I'm giving its assent to this treaty,
the senate his in mind the fact that
the league Of antions which it embed
les was devised for the sole purpose
Of maintaining peace and comfy
among the nations of the earth and
preventing the recurrence of such de.
structive conflicts as that through
which tho world has just passed. The
cooperation Of the United States with
the league and its continuance as a
member thereof. vii. naturally de-
pend upon the adherence of the league
to that fundamental purpose
such a declaration would at least
express the view of the United States
and justify the course which our
nation would unquestionably follow
if the basic purpose Of the league
were at any time distorted. 1t would
also appear to be a simpler matter
to provide against any misunderstand-
ing in the future and at the same
time to meet the objections of those
who believe that we might be invit-
ing a controversy over u constitu-
tional rights, by making a senator
ial addition in words something like
these:
at will Of course be understood
that in carrying out the purpose of
the league, the government of the
United States must at all times act
in strict harmony with the terms
and intent of the United States con-
| stitution which cannot in any way
be altered by the treaty-making pow
err
Friends of League Well Meaning
Unquestioned friends Of the league
have made other proposals. Dur
platform clearly lays no bar against
any additions that will be helpful,
but it speaks in a firm resolution to
stand against anything that disturbs
the vital principle. We hear 1t said
that interpretations are unnecessary.
That may be true, but they viii at least
be reassuring to many Of our cit-
zens, who feel that in signing the
treaty, there should be no mental
reservations that are not expressed
in plain words, as a matter of good
faith TO our associates. Such inter
pretations possess the further virtue
Of supplying a base upon which agree
ment can be reached. and agreement.
without injury to the covenant, Is
now Of pressing Importance. 1t was
the desire to get things started. that
prompted some members Of the SEN
alto to vote for the Lodge reservations.
Those who conscientiously voted for
them in the final roll calls realized
however, that they acted under dur
ess, in that a politically bigoted min
minority was exercising the arbitrary
ority was exercising the arbitrary pow
er of its position to enforce drastic con-
ditions. Happily the voters Of the
republic, under our system of gov
eminent, can remedy that situation,
and / have the faith that they will.
at the election this fall. Then Or
ganized government will be enabled
To combine impulse and facility to
combine impulse and facility in the
making Of better world conditions
The agencies Of exchange will auto
matically adjust themselves to the
opportunities Of commercial freedom
New life and renewed hope will take
hold Of every nation. Mankind will
press a resolute shoulder to the task
of reimbursement, and a new era will
have dawned upon the earth.
We have domestic problems to be
settled. They are most pressing. Many
conditions growing out of the war will
l .NA Ma