New-York tribune., 1920-09-19

await TO call the obligation a moral one,
first, because q moral obligation. as
bclieXe' the President has said, is tlas
highest form Of obligation; and, second,
because IL, as to the United States, such
an undertaking has validity, it would
create just as legal and just as binding
an obligation as any obligation under in
ternational law, or any treaty obliga-
ten, can be. The second sentence Of
the article IS to the duty of the council
to advise upon the means by which
not alter the fact that the frat sem
tence is an explicit undertaking and
creates a present obligation. The Sec
ond sentence recognizes an existing OBJ
legation and deals only with the means
Of fulfllment.
Bound to Go to War
"In case of future conflict, whatever
our opinion of the merits, and however
removed it may be from any interest
of ours, we are bound to so to war, if
against external aggression the terri
torial possessions of member of the
league. If any one has any doubt on
this point it should be removed by the
emphatic statement Of Mr.. Root; no
one is more competent to construe the
provision. He says: IL that stipula-
ton means anything and is not mere
sham and false pretense, it will, if
ratified, bind the United States when
occasion arises to defend every men,
ber Of the league by armed force
against external aggression. 1t will
bind the Urited States to do that. no
matter what our people at the time
think about the right and wrong Of the
controversy or about the wisdom or
folly of entering upon it. 1t will re-
quire the United States to fight on oc-
casion for all these dispositions of ter
ritory made by the Supreme Council
in Paris under the influence Of secret
treaties and bitter animosities and
territory, many of which are doubtful
and some Of which are clearly wrong"
"But it is insisted that under our 9pn-
stitution Congress alone can decS,re
war. If, however, the engagement Of
Article K is within the treaty-making
power, and the treaty were made with
out reservation on this point, then the
nation would be bound by the engage
ment to all the other contracting pow
ers, and it would be its duty to use
the proper organs Of government to ac-
complish whatever is necessary to make
good the engagement. If the Executive
should hold this view, he might at
once use the forces at his command
without waiting for Congress and thus
plunge US into actual war. If we make
treaty promising money it is the
duty of the nation to pay, and this is
none the less national obligation be-
cause Congress can alone appropriate
the money. If it be assumed that the
Article K, then it would be our inter-
national duty to see that Congress de-
clares war or does anything else that
may be required to perform our under
taking.
ARTICLE K is mischief-maker. 1t
belongs to the category Of alliances to
make war and is opposed to American
principle. 1t will serve to create dis
putes and not to heal them. For our
selves we must clearly reserve the right
to decide in the light Of the facts as
barrassed by any preexisting contrac-
tual obligation, whether we shall de-
fend the territorial integrity of one
nation against aggression by another
and whether or not we shall resort to
arms. If the situation presented at
any future time is of such character
as to create a sense Of duty on our
part, and we feel that we should 20
to war to preserve the territorial in
eCSAiIy Or luQepeHUenCe OF dnOtHer
state, or in the interest of liberty and
civilization, then we would respond
although there were no Article x. Why
not leave the future to conference and
decision in the light of events?
"The President could readily have
secured assent to an association or
league of Nations organized on a proper
basis, without objectional commit
ments. He could easily have obtained
THE ratification of the treaty with the
covenant had be been willing to accept
| adequate reservations necessary for our
protection. But he wanted his own
way-an attitude to be excused had it
been the right way, but it was the
wrong way. The candidate of the Dem
ocratic party has chosen, and is bound,
to travel in the same wrong path. The
serious mistake that has been made can
be rectified under different leadership.
|. What are the proper objects of an as
sociation or league Of Independent ma
tions established to promote peace?
| These may be said to be three:
First, provision for the determina-
tion by judicial tribunal of all JUS
ticiable questions which arise between
nations, and the exposition and devcl-
opment of international law which
makes possible the reign of justice ac-
cording to established principles of
right.
| "Then there should be the ma
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