The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1920-01-09

vations are feasible; the Allied Governments, it is
understood have stated that they would accept the
reservations in general the Secretary of State has
been opposed to the covenant as written; only Mr..
Wilson stands as the uncompromising, mmovable
champion of his own hobby. One with God may be
majority but tremendous is the responsibility of
that human who assumes that he is the cone" Other
men may be wful and all the world out OF step
save the President alone, but it is beyond human
experience to believe that all the rest are wrong
and he only right.
A semi-official statement has been put out from
the White House to the effect that Mr. Wilson has
no compromise concession of any kind IN mlnd'
but intends far as he is concerned that the Re
publican leaders of the Senate shall continue to
bear the undivided responsibility for the fate of the
treaty and the present condition of the world IN
consequence of that fate" 1t is said to have been
written by the President himself.
The Senate is not afraid of responsibility. 1t
does not fear to decide But the sword of Damocles
hangs always over it. In foreign relations the veto
power of the President is magnifcently complete
No nation on earth is so bound to the decisions Of
single man as is the United States in internatlon-
al negotiations. Whatever the Senate does is met
with the threat of such veto In effect therefore,
the responsibility is tossed to the shoulders of the
Senate when it is deprived of freedom of decision.
Take it or leave it, swallow it as it is leave the
world in turmoil; that is the ultirnaum, and it is
written so clearly that blind man can read it.
The Senate, fortunately, is not ready to be CO.
creed 1t is ready to ratify the treaty in its rea-
tion to Germany. Senator Knox has so proposed.
It ought to go ahead and do Let the President
then decide if the "present condition Of the world"
is such that he will continue it indefinitely unless
his way is accepted.
There is plenty of propaganda behind the pres
ent condition of the world" anyhow. Nobody has
heard of the French or British Governments doing
anything to hold up exchange. Washington has
done nothing helpful. Indeed, the signs multiply
that the "presen condition of the world is beng
verv much exaggerated for ratification purposes.
Republican Senators, at any rate, are suspicious
that stage is being set with the object OF black
lacking them into submission
We believe that the treaty will be ratified, in
one form or another, early in January. The signs
noint to it. More and more Democrats are be-
coming restive under harness. They want to go
ahead, and they know they go ahead by present
q aIIiIudS'
tude which they themselves know is reasonable.
The treaty with reservations would have been
ratified month ago had not the President given
orders to have the resolution killed Let the Sena-
tors go ahead and consummate the agreement al
ready virtually made, ratfy in that for1n and put
the treaty, thus ratified, back in the Presidents
hands If he then wants to pigeon-hole 1t, that IS
his privilege The Constitution gives him the rlght
But in such Z situation there would be no question
of where responsibility lay.
The subversion of this Government is a price
which is not going to be paid by the Senate or by
the people for a change in the "present condition
of the world" Nor is there anything but propagan-
da to establish the fact that the present condition
of the world" is due to the patriotic position OF the
Senate And if the "present condition OF the
world" is bad, perhaps it is worth while to take
calm thought that the future condition of the world
may not be worse.