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


faith or rcpudiating signatures can
hc brought against the acton Of the
United States Senate. BY the Amcr
can Constitution il is an independent
body. an independent element in the
treaty making power. It's refusal to
ratify the treaty cannot expose eth
or itself On the country to II charge OF
bad faith or reputation"
SO much for the Scnatc's right to
stand in the way of Il dictatorship.
Next let us quote from NiScount Grcy'S
succ'nct relation of the reasons sen
tmcntal and practical, which have in
f'ucnccd the United States against the
acceptance of Mr.. Wilson's covcna at:
There il in tho United States Il real
conservative feel ny for the tradition
n policy. and one of those traditions
con$ccratrd by the advice OF Washing
ton is to abstain from foreign and
particularly European cutanGlcmcntS,
Even for nations which have been
used TO European alliances the Lcas
ur of Nations is felt to be something
Of II new departure.
This = still moro trur for the Unit
cd States. which has hitherto held
ulouf from al outside all anccs. For
the League Of Nations is not mercy
II plunge into the unknown but a
plunge into something Of which his
tdrical advice and traditions have
hitherto positively disapprovcd 1t
does ct say that ii will not make
this departure. 1t recognizes that
worli conditions have changed, hut
il desires time To consider, TO ircl
It's way and 10 act with caution. Hence
tltiS desire for some quail Iiration and
rc%crvation.'
Just as candidly, rs lucidly and a.
calmly the veteran d plomai comes
to the most damning items Of the
Covenant Without specifically men
tionlng Article Y or nj, Ni$count
Grey writes true indictmcl Of the
attcmnt to transfer from Congress t.
4 supcrGovcrnmcnt its conslitut ion;l
power to declare war:
The American Constitution not on
" makes possible but under certain
conditions renders inevitable con
flict between Executive and Icgisl;
turc. 1t would be posi- be as the cove
nant Of the League Of Nations stands
for President in some future year:
to commit the United States through
; the American Representatives on the
Council of the League Of Nations t.
a policy Q: which the Legislature al
that time might disapprove.
This contingency, Viscount Grey
, hastcns to assure his Brit sh readers
his Illuminating Views were OK
. pressed in Il letter to the Londol
Times-could not arise in Great Bril-
ain, where the people are enabled
quickly to decide disputes between
the Government and the House o.
Commons; therefore. he says, there
' is no need for Britain to ask such II
scrva4 Cons as the Senate demands FOL
America:
But in the United States it is othc,
wise. The contingency is within thu
reign Of practical pon',tic They have
: reason, and if they so desire TIT
: right t oprovidc against it. Reserv;
tons with this object are therefore
m illustration not only Of party pol
5 ties hut OF a great constitutional que
= on which constantly arises between
r the President and the Senate and i
: would be no more fair to label thu:
with the name Of party politics thar
it would be to apply that name tt
| some of the great constitutional stru1
2 giles which arose between the House
of Commons and the executive an
'h"rity in Great Britain in the day:
2 "ofnr" the quest on he'd finally been
: "cttlcd in favor of the House OF Con
mons"
''h"rc ore people who will not @,
/, Joy the Grey letter, just as Junke1
, dom did not enjoy TIE cold. clear
honest way in which Grey dealt w II
p" frusSian at the beginning Of tn,
-. VS. franknoss viii no. he praised
~ some quarters Of Washington |
2 VIII no. evoke cheers in the ranks o
S lose En"lishmcn who bel eyed tha
Nr. lloyd George brineIr" home tn,
""Hture Of President wilson to {
= document which would il ratified b,
z the Senate bind us to he policeman
~" banker in every old Word quar-.
:. 49, boa nc"'ormcd The most uscCu
''n'"m"tic """"icc for Fn"1nrd sine,
- ~"ac'i's tine
W" Grey has to'H l'rrl,n' IN,