The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1920-02-05
TAKING ACCOUNT OF STOCK.
One View of the Treaty Situation a
Present Time.

MIR. Lodge cannot conceal MS pledsuie
over Lord Grey's acknowledgment that
Great Britain would now favor the ad-
mission of the United States into the
league with almost any reservations,
rather than have this country stay out
entirely; and the acknowledgment I'M
deniably weakens the president IN his
struggle for treaty as nearly as pos
sible like the treaty which he signed
and which the other powers have rati.
fed. Viscount Grey, it must be admit
ted, acting unofiieially for the British
government, and in consequence OF
Kind of desperation, has become IN Ell
feet an ally of Lodge, for the senator
can now say that reservations to which
the British government no longer OBJ
iects ought no longer TO be objection
able TO any portion of the American
people.
We have all got to take fresh ac-
count of stock. The London Morning
Post has been from the beginning
severe and rather scornful critic OF the
league of nations, but one has to CON
cede large measure of truth in its
estimate of Lord Grey's proposal;
Lord Grey's proposal is that We
should allow America in the league OF
nations upon special inland out
clause Of her own. She would have a
separate status and at the same time
would have no obligations. She would,
| in fact, be allowed to come in at the
shallow end. Once in, Lord Grey has
no anxiety that she could be led grad,
ually into deeper water until she found
| by experience that there is really no
danger at all. Only get them in, says
Lord Grey, no matter upon what terms,
and everything viii come right, Now,
the sum of the American reservations
leaves nothing of effect in the covenant
at alias far as America is concerned
and if the other signatories were TO
grant them it is just possible the
Americans might be induced TO send
their representatives to Berne, but II
they are to obtain these reservations
other nations must have them also.
We live, after all, in democratic age,
and we must start on the level IN SO
democratic an institution as the league
OF nations"
The point OF this pungent criticism
Is that with the American reservations
in full effect, and with all the league
members enjoying the benefit of them
whenever anyone became especially in
terested in question, the league could
not fulfill the purpose of its creators.
But on the other hand, Lord Grey's ar
gument that Fin practice" the reserva-
lions would probably amount to moth
ing, once the league got to going, calls
for careful consideration. Senator Bo-
rah agrees with Lord Grey at this
point, saying the letter plainly states
that the United States should be per-
mitted TO come in with her reservations
for the simple reason that, once in,
the reservations viii amount to moth
ing. ] agree entirely with Niscount
Grey" Hence Borah would kill the
treaty outright. From his point of view
of irreconcilable opposition to any
league whatever, the Grey argument
comes as reinforcement. He is pleased
as much as Mr.. Lodge is
this an opportunity TO take a fresh ac-
this an opportunity to take fresh ae-
count of stock. He cannot have lost all
of his old suppleness and dexterity.
Grey's letter surely releases him from
his obligation to the allies to put the
treaty through. If possible, in the form
in which they have already ratified 1t.
The viscount admits, as the president
has all along contended, that some OF
the Lodge reservations ARE material
qualifications of the league of nations
as drawn up at Paris; and by plain
Implication the viscount admits that on
paper these reservations are killing in
their nature So far, then, the presi-
dent is indicated in his fight for the
covenant, and the other signatory pow
ers must credit him with having been
virtually abandoned by them before
he would yield ground in the matter
of the covenant.
The presidents possible opportunity
is found in Grey's statement that, while
the worst of the Lodge reservations ON
paper are destructive, in practice they
would probably be innocuous. Grey's
exact words should be noted:
%. Those who have had the
longest experience of political affairs
and especially Of treaties know best
how often il happens that difficulties
which seem most formidable in antici-
patton and on paper never arise In
practice. ! think this is likely to be
particularly true in the working Of the
league of nations. The difficulties or
dangers which the Americans foresee in
it win probably never arise or be felt
By them when they are once in the
league. And in the same way the weak
ening and injury to the league which
some Of its best friends apprehend from
the American reservations would not
be felt in practice
If the president should now accept
Viscount Grey's judgment on this
point. his consistency would be fully
preserved, because his condemnation
of the reservations has been neces-
ssrily from the standpoint of theory
alone-"on paper they cut out the
heart OF the covenant. But If, IN
practice, il should be possible, and
even easy. for the league TO do bust
mess much a. its creators intended,
the president would get the substance
of what be has been heroically strug
Cling for II ~ should execute = fank
movement and make the Grey position
his own. A careful study Of the chief