The Birmingham age-herald., 1920-08-08

plan of making a German-Ame erican peace. and then calling for new re- lauonship among nations" assuming for the purpose of argument only. that the perfidious hand that dealt with Germany would possess the power or influence to draw twenty-nine nations away from plan already at work and induce them to retrace every step and make a new beginning.
 WHAT HARDING IDEA ENTAILS
 This would entail our appointing an other commission to assemble with those selected by the other powers. With the Versailles instrument dis carded, the whole subject of partitions and divisions of territory on new lines would be reopened. The difficulties in this regard. as any fair mind appre- ciates, would be greater than they were at the peace session. and we must not attempt to convince ourselves that they did not try the genius, patience and diplomacy of statesmen at that time. History will say that great as was the allied triumph in war no less a victory was achieved at the peace table The republican proposal means dishonor. world confusion and delay.
 It would keep us in permanent
 company with Germany, Russia.
 Turkey and Mexico. It would en-
 tall, in the ultimate, more rcnl fn-
 jury than the war itself.
 The democratic position on the ques- tion, as expressed in the platform, is:
 DEMOCRATIC POSITION
 We advocate immediate ratification or the treaty without reservations which would impair it's essential integrity. but do not oppose the acceptance of any reservation making clearer or more spe- cifc the obligations of the United States to the League associates"
 The first duty of the new adminstra- tion clearly will be the ratification or the treaty. The matter should be ap- preached without thought of the bitter ness of the past. The public verdict will have been rendered and I am confident that the friends of world peace, as II will be promoted by the League, will have in numbers the constitutional req uisite to favorable senatorial action. Tne captious may say that our platform ref- erence to reservations Is vague and in- definite It's meaning, in brief. is that we shall state our interpretation of tns covenant as a matter of good faith 10 our associates and as a precaution against any misunderstanding in the tu- ture. The point is that after the people shall have spoken, the League will pc in the hands of it's friends in the Sen ate, and safe index as to what they will do is supplied by what reservations they have proposed in the past. some months ago, in contributed article to the New York Times. I expressed my own opinion of the situation as 1t then was. I reproduce it here:
 l. HIS OWN OPINION
 '~There can be no doubt but that some senators have been conscientious In theh desire to clarify the provisions or the treaty Two things apparently have dis turbed them: First, they wanted to make sure that the League was not to pc an alliance, and that its basic purpose was peace and not controversy. Second, they wanted the other powers signing the in strument to understand our constitutional limitations, beyond which the treaty making power cannot go. Dealing with these two questions in order, 1t mas always seemed to me that the interpreta- ton of the function of the League might have been stated in these words:
 "'In giving it's assent to this treaty, the Senate has in mind the Iact 'ha the League of Nations which 1t em- bodies was devised for the sole purpose of maintaining peace and comty among the nations of the earth and preventins inc recurrence of such destructive con- ficts as that through which the world has just passed. The cooperation OF the United States with the League ana its continuance as member thereon VIII naturally depend upon the adherence or the League to that fundamental purpose Such declaration would at least express the view of the United States and justify the course which our nation would unquestionably follow if the basic purpose of the League were at any ti'hS distorted. It would also appear to be a simpler matter to provide against any misunderstanding in the future ana at the same time to meet the objections ol those who believe that we might De inviting a controversy over our constisi- tional rights by making senatorial ao- dition in words something like these: ".It will, of course. be understood that in carrying out the purpose Of the League, the government of the upiten States must at all times act in strict harmony with the terms and intent "i the United States constitution, which can not in any way be altered by the treaty making power"
 OTHER PROPOSALS
 l IInouestioned friends of the league have made other proposals. Our platform clearly lays no bar against any additions I that will be helpful, but it speaks in a ! firm resolution to stand against any thing that distarbs the vital principle. We hear it said that interpretations are unnecessary That may be true, put I they will at least be reassuring to many Of our citizens. who feel that in signing
 the treaty there should be no mental reservations that are not expressed in piain words as a matter of good faith l to our associates Such interpretations possess the further virtue Of supplying base upon which agreement can pc reached. and agreement without injury tc the covenant is now of pressing impor- itance. It was the desire to get things started that prompted some members ol l the Senate to vote for the Lodge reserva- Itiens. Those who consciously voted TOT them in the final roll calls realized how ever that they acted under duress. III lthat a politically bigoted minority was exercising the arbitrary power or It's posi tion to enforce drastic conditions 1iap' billy the voters of the republic can rem edy<that situation and have the faitn l that they will at the election this iaii Then organized government will be en-
 abled to combine impulse and faciIty ~ !. making of better world conditions. Int arencies of exchange will automatically ladirst themselves to the opportunities o' commercial freedom. New life ana, re- newed hope will take hold of every na' l tion. Mankind will press resoiute | shoulder to the task of read1ustmeh'
 and a new era will have dawned upor the earth.
 l We have domestic problems to be set- 1 t,ed They are most pressing. Many coalitions growing out of the war VII not and should not continue. The wors of readjustment will call for our pes er erey. ingenuity. unselfishness ana oe votion to the idea that 1t is the genera welfare we must promote. One or th' | iex "a