Evening journal., 1920-01-28

We call attention to the very i'm
portant discrepancy Of text and mean
ing between the English and tn
French versions OF the Monroe Doctrln.
| provision in the Wilson covenant, point
ed out in letter to The Sun from Profes
sor William Starr Myers. This singu
( lar circumstance had not escaped notice
previously. The Pyne Preceptor OF His
tory and Politics at Princeton brings Il
| out more clearly than before and exh b.
! ifs the consequences OF a clash of In.
! terpretStion OF an article equally on.
clal in the two conflicting versions.
Readers Of The Sun who have mol
forgotten the earlier phases OF Presi-
! dent Wilson's self-determined enter
prise know that in his first proposed
constitution II was fslen styled a con-
stitutlon, not a cOvenant-of the League
of Nations there was no references
whatever to the Monroe Doctrine. As
read by Mr. Wilson al the plenary ses-
sion OF the Peace Conference on Febru-
ary Al Of last year the document was
silent as the tomb about America S
traditional policy so distinctly asserted
and reafilrmed In connection with both
Of the series Of treaties signed at The
Hague. and likewise with equal direct
ness and emphasis when our Govern
ment participated in the Algeciras con-
ventiOn.
The original draft OF the League
constitution Is the draft Of which Mr..
Wilson said to the Conference on Feb
ruary IA 1919, that it was a practi-
cal document and that Il expressed the
conscience Of the world. 10 is the
draft which he brought back with him
on his brief visit TO the United States
in that same February. and which he
exhibited both In his Boston speech
OF February "a and in his New York
speech in March as the covenant which
the Senate would find so skillfully
interviewer with the treaty OF peace
that il would be impossible 10 dis
sect them apart. 1t was the draft OF
which he said in the Metropolitan
opera House 81 did not need 10 be tod.
as | have been told. that the people
Of the United states would support this
covenant am an American and
knew they would What a sweet re-
,venge It IS upon the worldl"
And the practical covenant, the in
separable covenant. the covenant
which Mr.. Wilson, because he was an
American, knew the people OF the Unit
ed States would support, was as void
Of sny mention Of the Monroe Doctrine
as the Book OF Tobit in the Apocrypha.
Il was too much even for the most
ardent subscribers 10 the campaign fund
Of Mr.. Taft's League 10 Enforce Peace.
The President, after his return TO Paris,
began TO get reminders from all sorts
OF eminent Americans, friendly in a /
general way 20 the idea Of a League Of
Nations. that this omission Of the Mon !
roe Doctrine was too gross a blunder !
10 be overlooked even by them. lie |
received oil manner OF suggestions, |
good bad and Indifferent, as to the
form In which 1t should be incorp-
Grated.
In the second or revised draft OF
tho original constitution. now restyled
Covenant he did slide in reference |
10 the Monroe Doctrine. The Doc !
trlne was mentioned" but In a man
ner so nebulous and deceptive and
with a description OF its true inward
ness so patiently fraudulent that i'll
might as well have been left freezing
In the outer darkness and GOODNESS to /
which the Presidents scheme orig
inally condemned It, His manner Of |
explaining 10 the Conference and the |
world the change Of unchangeable ]