New-York tribune., 1920-01-02
The No-Compromisers

justly, that the way to get the treaty
ratified is honestly to place blame and
to accord credit. Should the Senate
arrogantly declare it has no compro-
mise OF concession Of any kind in
mind, what would the Chamber Of
Commerce do? 1t would roundly be-
rate the Senate Just so. And now
let us turn to the statement of Sena-
tor Lodge, as quoted on the first page
of the same issue (the italics are
mine):
1.-The Democrats are not Offering
any compromise Senator Lodge con-
tinued. They have not offered any
specific proposition since talk of a
compromise began. They are rapidly
coming to the position where they will
accept the reservations they rejected.
And there avill be no change made IN
them. They pill accept the reserpa-
tions sMbstontiollv as they arc, or
there sQiU be no compromised
ellis idea of COMPROMISED then, is
that the other side shall accept his
position IN toto. If this is not an ar
rogant declaration that the Senate
majority has no compromise or con-
cession of any kind in mind just how
arbitrary and discourteous must Mr..
Lodge be before you will admit his ar
rogance and his full share of blame
worthiness for the disgrace brought
upon the country?
"Spch augmentation as you are
now making in the face of the facts
does not carry conviction. 1t only
shakes the confidence and cools the
affection Of those who formerly looked
to the editorial page of The Tribune,
confidently and affectionately, for an
Americanism that was higher than
partisanship and vision of the ma
tional honor limited by no factional
binders. CHARLES B. GOING.
"New York, Dec. "a, 1919."
1t is a common weakness of men
to see others wearing binders when
such themselves. The re-
mark Of The Tribune to which there
is objection implied that the Sen
ate has not arrogantly declared
it had no compromise or concession
Of any kind in mind. The statement
happens to be true. 1t argues
ooseness of thinking to assume, as
'ur correspondent does, that Sena-
tor Lodge is the Senate. To estab-
ish an offense by him establishes
against the Senate. He is
simply one among ninety-six. His
reservations, which are a composite
# many views, rather than an ex-
preston of his own, have not yet
'een voted for by majority of the
senate. So the Senate as a body
las not been arrogant, for it has not
.cted.
AS the Senate is disunitary, the
Presidency is unitary. The differ
ance is vital. A President, if he
wishes to compromise, encounters
no impediment, while the Senate,
rom it's very nature. is divis-
onal. Individually a large number
II Senators, seemingly a majority,
and perhaps two-thirds of the men,
oership, have plainly Indicated their
iesire to consider candidly any
offer submitted. The President and
he group of fifteen Senators called
he "irreconcilables" are the only
'nes who have declared they have no
Of any kind in mind. Any
one honestly interested in assessing
blame for the deadlock should note
he similarity between the attitudes
IF the President and Senator
6orah's "battalion of DEATH"
Nor is our correspondent just in
1is references to Senator Lodge.
The Senator may not always be as
;weetly tolerant as he might be, but
he very utterance our correspondent
quotes refutes the charge brought
against him. He does not say the
reservations must be accepted with
'ut change, but merely "substan-
,ially." This differs much from the
Presidents no compromise or con-
'ession Of any kind. Moreover, to
make the cases parallel it would be
necessary for the President to sub
nit an offer, as the Lodge Senators
lave done, and for the same to be
latly rejected. No one has a right
% assume a rejection which has not
occurred. Senator Lodge has obvi-
'usly sought for weeks to pry some
ort OF concrete proposition out of
he White House. He may we'll
hink, as a matter of tactics, the
pest way to get it is not to relax
pressure. Moreover, the very fact
hat he should labor to get an offer
.rgucs an intention to consider it
+ made, and suggests that the stiff
less OF his words is not to be taken
90 literally.
The Presidents course has been
and ctatorial
throughout. He has sought, against
he Constitution, to debar the Sem
lta from ira nnrk fn ~.