Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1920-02-10
WILSON REAF FIRMS
HIS OPPOSITION To
PROGRAM Of LODGE

But he cannot accept any reserVa-
| ton which causes the United States
10 reject its international obhga-
lions under Article Ten of the
League of Nations covenant, which
| pledges league members to protect
each others territory against out
side aggression.
The Hitchcock reservations, which
the president agrees to accept, were
| rejected by the senate on November
10 last by a vote of Al yeas to so
noes.
The letter which was read today
was written to Senator Hitchcock
January 26. 1t is the first time
President Wilson has explicitly
stated that any particular set of
reservations would be acceptable to
him. His letter made it plain to
Democratic senators that the presi-
dents position on the treaty has not
undergone the slightest change, they
said.
The presidents letter to Senator
| Hitchcock was in reply to a note
sent him on January % by Senator
Hitchcock, incIosing q copy of the
proposed compromise reservation on
Article Ten then under considera-
| ton by the bipartisan conferees.
| Tho conferees were about to agree
upon the reservation in question,
which provided that the United
States assumes no obligation to
employ it's military or naval forces
or the economic boycott" to pre-
serve the territory or independence
of any other nation.
Senator Hitchcock told the presi-
dent that the negotiations had
, reached a stage where both sides
are seriously considering a PROPOSE
ton, as indicated by the Enclosed
clipping
Text of Wilson's Letter
In response the president wrote,
under date of January 26:
My Dear Senator Hitchcock:
l have greatly appreciated
your thoughtful kindness in
keeping me informed concerning
the conferences you and some of
your colleagues have had with
spokesman of the Republican
party concerning the possibility
If ratification of the treaty of
peace, and send this line in
special appreciative acknowI-
edgment of your letter of the
22nd. I return the clipping you
were kind enough to inclose.
To the substance OF 1t, I, of
course, adhere. I am bound to.
Like yourself, I am solemnly
sworn to obey and maintain The
constitution of the United
States. But l think the form
of it very unfortunate. Any
reservation or resolution stat
ing that 1.-The r'nited States as
sumes nc obligation under such
and such an article unless or
except would, 1 am sure, chill
our relationship with the nations
with which we expect TO be as
ISOLATED In the great enterprise
maintaining the WoriHI
peace.
That association must in any
case, my dear senator, involve
very serious and far-reaching
implications OF honor and duty
which [ am SURF shall never
in fact be desirous of ignoring.
II is the most important not TO
create the impression that we
ere trying to escape obligation.
But 7 realize that ..egr tive
criticism is not all that is call
ed for in SO serious "a matter.
I am happy to be able to add.
L
gone over the reservations nro-
posed by yourself, the copy Of
which I return herewith, and am
glad to say that I can accept
them as they stand
Allies Good Faith
have never seen the slight
est reason to. doubt the good
faith of our associates in the
war, nor ever had the slightest
reason to fear that any nation
would seek to enlarge our obIi-
cations under the covenant Of
the League of Nations or to seek
to commit US to lines of action
which, under our constitution,
only the congress of the United
| States can in the last analysis
| decide
! May 1 suggest that with re-
gard to the possible withdrawal
! Of the United States 1t would
! be wise to give to the president
! the right to act upon our reso-
! luton Of congress in the mat
ter of withdrawal? In other
words, it would seem to be per-
! nissible' and advisable that any
resolution giving notice Of with
! drawal should be a joint rather
| than a concurrent resolution I
/ doubt whether the president can
be deprived of his veto power,
| under the constitution, even with
his own consent.
| The use of a joint resolution
would permit the president, who
is, of course, charged by the
constitution with the conduct Of
foreign policy, to merely exer-
else a voice in saying whether
so important a step as with
| drawal from the League of Ma
tions should be accomplished by
| majority or by a two-thirds
! vote. The constitution itself,
| providing that the legislative
body was to be consulted in
treaty-making, and having pre-
! scribed a tWo-thirds vote in such
cases, it seems to me that there
! should be no unnecessary de-
parture from the method there
| indicated.
/ I see no objection Ga frank
statement that the United States
can accept a mandate with re-
gard to any territory under Ar
ticle Kill, Part l, or any other
provision Of the treaty Of peace.
only by the direct authority of
the congress of the United
| States.
hope, my dear senator, that
you will never hesitate to call
upon me for any assistance that
I can render in this or any other
public matter.
/ TArdIo1lNy and pfTnnrn1Ty