Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1920-02-14


bic misunderstanding. No charge Of bad
faith or rcpudiating signatures can
Nc brought against the action Of tho
United States Senate. BY the Amcri
can Constitution ii is an independent
body, an Independent element in tho
treaty making power. Its refusal to
ratify the treaty cannot expose eth
CT itself OF the country to Il charge or
bad faith or reputation"
SO much for the Scnate'S tight to
stand in the way of Dictatorship.
Next let us quote from NiscOunt Grcy's
suco'nct relation of the reasons sen
timcntal and practical, which have IN
fmcnccd the United States against the
acceptance of Mr.. Wilson's covenant:
There is in tho United States real
conservative feeling for the tradition
n policy. and one Of those traditions
consocratcd by the advice Of Washing
ton is to abstain from foreign and
particularly European entanglemcntS.
Even for nations which have been
used to European alliances the Lcag
ne OF Nations is fclt to be something
Of new departure.
This IS still moro true for tho Unit
tu olticS, NillCll HIS hllicl'o hct'
aloof from all outside ull anccs. For
The League Of Nations is not mercy
Il plunge into the unknown but a
plunge into something of which his
tdrical advice and traditions have
hitherto positively disapprovcd. II
, does OF say that it will not make
: this departure. 1t recognizes that
, world conditions have changed, but
ii desires time to consider. to feel
; It's way and to act with caution. Hence
: this desire for some qualification and
reservation"
Just rs candidly, rs lucialy and n"
calmly the veteran diplomat comes
=, to the most damning items Of the
, covcnant Without specifically men
tion1ng Article y or Nj, Niscoun'
= Grey writes true indictment Of tho
l attempt to transfer from Congress tc
q supergovernment its constitutional
= power to declare war:
The American Constitution not OF
, ly makes possible but under certain
! conditions renders inevitable II cor
I flict between Executive and Legisla
u turc. IT would be possible as the cove
l nant OF the League Of Nations stands
5 for President in some future years
{ to commit the United States through
, the American representative on Tho
! Council of the League Of Nations &c
, policy Of which the Legislature al
Z that time might disapprove."
, This contingency, Viscount Grey
y hastens to assure his British readers
- his Illuminating Views were OK
. pressed i'll letter to the Londor
, Times--could not arise in Great Bri
i ain. where the people are enabled
quickly to decide disputes between
the Government and the House O
Commons; therefore, he says, there
Y Is no need for Britain to ask such II
scrva4'ons as the Senate demands fOl
America:
But in the United States it is othe
wise. The contingency is within tn
t reign Of practical politics. They have
Y reason, and if they so desire thu
e right. oprovide against it. Resery;
i tons with this object are therefore
t an illustration not only Of party pol
S tics hut OF a great constitutional que
= ton which constantly arises between
T the President and the Senate. and i
- would be no more fair to label this
d with the name Of party politics than
Il 1t would be to apply that name tt
n some of the great constitutional strut
g giles which arose between the Hous,
Il Of Commons and the executive au
d thority in Great Britain in the day
G "ofore the quest on had finally bee,
l. settled in favor oC the House Of Con
t mons"
i Nhcre are people who will not @,
;, Joy the Grey letter, just as Junke1
: dom did not enjoy the cold, clear
honest way in which Grey dealt VIII
r he Prussian at the beginning of TIL,
:, "2r. ''is frankness will not be praised
# in some quarters Of Washington.
Q will not evoke chccrs' in the franks o
s '"ose Englishmcn who bel eyed tha
It "r. Lloyd George bringing home tn,
s "nature Of President Wilson to
,. document which would. if ratified b,
G the Senate bind us to he policeman
& md banker in every old World quar-
;. 80 h." performed the most uscfu
6 'in'om"tic service for England sine,
y ""ac'i's time.
! Pn' Grey has tod Frr,ln' tn,