New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1920-09-13
William Howard Taft
Discusses
Harding's Views ON League

condition Of q technical war" He says
that this is merely formal recognition
of an obvious fact" Unquestionably
when actual peace exists through ac-
quiescence by the parties to the war
Congress can add to the evidence Of
such peace by an authoritative declara-
ton of it. aYd can. for domestic pur-
poses, end every legal power or liability
dependent on the continuance Of war.
impose on Germany any obligations in
reference to peace adjustment to which
she does not affixmatively consent. The
proposed resolution provides that it
shall not be waiver Of any rights or
privileges the United STATES is granted
under the Treaty Of Versailles. Now,
no one would contend that such a saw
ing clause gave the United States those
rights and privileges. We can secure
them only by q separate treaty with
Germany or by ratifying the Treaty Of
Versailles. We need them in order to
begin proper relations Of amity and
business with Germany.
Mr.. Harding says he has no expecta-
ton of finding it necessary or de-
sirable to negotiate a separate treaty
with Germany. Then he must look to
the Treaty of Versailles for those
rights and privileges, and he can only
secure them by becoming party to it.
We have right to infer from what
Mr.. Harding says, therefore, that he
proposes to approach the principal
and Allied associate powers-Great
Britain, France, Italy and Japan, now
members of the League of Nations
and TO ask them to amend the league
1b9ys striking out OR modifying Article
4. by otherwise qualifying its pro-
IN civ
other chief Republican reservations.
and by providing an obligatory inter
national court Of the Root Phillimore
type to settle justiciable disputes, and
TO leave other differences between ma
lions to recommendations of settle
ment by conference or council. Thus
he would amend the league to meet
the criticisms which he directs against
it.
There is full power in the league
to make these amendments, and the
making Of them does not need the con-
sent lei it, Of Germany, because power to
pressiy reserved; If he succeeds in
league, then he can submit the treaty,
as modified in its league features, to
the Senate for its ratification, and
when so ratified Germany will be
bound to render to US the rights and
privileges stipulated in the treaty.
Mr.. Harding quotes from Lord Grey
and others to show that the chief
allied powers are likely to consent to
such suggestions. He promises to
give his very earnest and virtually I'M
divided attention to this very vital
subject from the day Of his election
and will call on others to aid him.
~S
lieved it to be the duty Of Mr.. Wilson
to have accepted the Republican reser-
vations and to have entered the league
in November, 1919, can sincerely well
come such a result as that outlined
above if Mr.. Harding finds it possible
of accomplishment. They cannot OBJ
ject to the change to an international
court with teeth to decide justiciable
issues; nor can they object to the
elimination of Article x, or to the in
clusion Of the other Republican reser-
yations by preliminary amendment.
NG one ean pw c tna the =
association or league when the old one
is part of the Treaty Of Versailles;
and it would be foolish for Mr.. Har-
ding to insist on this when only through
ratification of the treaty can he
make secure our rights and privileges
against Germany. Indeed, his lam
guage refutes the idea that he would
assume such refractory position, for
he says: "If the league has been so
entwined and interviewer into the
peace Of Europe that its good must be.
preserved in order to stabilize the
peace Of Europe, then it can be
amended or revised so that we may
still have remnant of the world as
piration in 1918 builded into the
worlds highest conception of helpful
cooperation in the ultimate realiza-
tion."
If Mr Harding finds this plan i'm
practicable he has still the opportunity
to join the league with the Republican
reservations and secure the judicial
changes by amendment after we 6asBe
the league. We may infer that he
would do so from what he says about
his previous votes in the Senate. He
says he was moved by his sympathy
with the other great nations and de-
sire to serve reluctantly to vote to ac-
cept the league covenant with reserva-
tions designed to preserve our essen
tial liberty of action. The record is
made, and under the same conditions,
confronted by the same alternative,
should vote now as 7 voted then. If he
finds an alternative such as he now
suggests not open to him we may infer
from this language recurrence Of his
previous course.
Copyright. 1920. by the Public Ledger Coy.