The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1920-02-27
That Troublesome Article <.

Article 10 Of the treaty Of Versailles
| is indeed the unknown quantity in
/ the problem Of world peace which the
| statesmen OF all nations are trying to
| solve, and until the United States SEN
ate can reach an agreement with the
| president on just what this article
means and shall mean. peace and re-
| turn TO normal life seem to most OBJ
servers impossible.
Reservations" interpreting this ar.
| ticle and specifying what obnsations
the United States assumes under II. are
| proposed on all sides. II remains 10
! find an acceptable "cornproIaIse reser-
walton. - The majority Of the country's
press seems to believe that such a COM
premise will be reached and that the
ratification Of the treaty will follow
some Democratic papers see In the
resArvatioll proposed by Senator Lodge,
| the Republican leader, substantial
qualification OF the. league Of nations
idea. Though Mr.. Lodge and his sup
| porters speak Of "Amsricanizing the
treaty" the Louisville Courier-Journal
| holds that their Interpretation would
| An1ericanize it because ii would deny
the American people the right to make
any promise for their future conduct
| which they would be able to keep With
out the express permission Of some flu
| ture congress" and the Dayton News,
edited by Gov. Cox of Ohio. declares
that they want article 10 amended be-
cause they seek 70 shirk responsibility
nations The Chattanooga News
thinks the language Of the Lodge res
Arvation is not fortunate" because
ambiguous, yet 1t offers a basis for
discussion which we believe. will lead
| to ratification"
dependent Democratic" take, for the
most part, similar view, The Phila-
| delphia Record is convinced that the
| Lodge idea leaves absolutely nothing
| Of the agreement" and the New York
Times fears II would make it practi.
to- conduct itself like high .souled ma
ton and friend Of peace" The Knox
| vile Sentinel feels also that, in the cur.
| rent phrase, 1t would 'cut the heart OF
the treaty" and adds;
To repudiate Anys moral obligation
other nations to prevent wars would be
| to destroy the chief incentive of the
United States for entering the league
| for the other nations would equally moi
be bound by the terms Of this article
| and the whole scheme of the league tc
| keep down wars would fall to pieces
Yet not all the independent Demo
4 cratic" press goes so far as this The
Binghamton Morning. Sun says this
various reservations can scarcely b
| distinguished save by those who are
trying to split. hairs" and the For
Worth STAR Telegram thinks the differ.
ence Is almost that of tweedledum ane
tweedledee." The Boston Post finds the
Lodge reservations more terrifying ir
j their rhetoric than In their substance,
! while the Cleveland Plain Dealer thinks
the country will accept ratification
now upon the compromise terms pro-
posed"
What about Republican opinion? The
New York Tribune places the blame fol
failure to reach an agreement squarelS
on Senator Htchcock-.the SOLITARY
Hitchcock, it calls him, for while othel
leaders have proposed reservations, IN IN
to say what he wants he shakes hi
head, When besought to, choose from
among the goods offered he shakes hi:
head again" The Wheeling Intelli'
gencer THINKS President Wilson has &C
-cepted the very principle" Of the Lodge
verbiage of his own" which is hair
splitting carried to the limit. "Tht
only false note struck Is that BY Sena'
tor Hitchcock says the Buffalo Eve
ming News, referring to the senator:
remark that the proposed compromise
agreed to by Senator Lodge was, no
a compromise but surrender ant
the Idaho Statesman thinks any inter
probation satisfactory to President Will
son would "in no way protect Atnerics
to any further extent than thu
original text affords protection
Yet the Springfield Union calls tht
discussion war Of words .anC
phrases and the equally Republican
Philadelphia Inquirer thinks IT al
hinges on pride of authorship" il
which both sides are blameworthy. .Th'
independent Republican Portland
oreconian's main objection to tn
I,odse reservation is that it IS smbi
Traces the deadlock to Mr.. Wilson
obstinaey7 which was manifested a
The wrong time. Not with his own sen
ate, but with the representatives, a
H. raacA table should he have takel