The New York herald., 1920-01-06
FAvORS
RESERVATIONS IN
RAT|FY|NG PACT
~
Illinois Governor Believes
League of Nations May Ac-
complish Much Good.

CHICAGO, H.. Monday.-'While the
League of Nations, even as modified by
the reservations adopted, does not take
the form which / believe it should, name
ly. judicial rather than political, ] think
1t Is the part of wisdom now to ratlfy II
with such reservations as adopted by the
Senate said Governor Frank Q. Low
den in letter today replying to Senator
w. +. Borah. of Idaho, who has request
ed the Governors position on the League
of Nations.
'"When the armistice was signed" says
Governor Lowden, "I felt that the time
was opportune for taking up the subject
OF better international relations where the
second Hague conference had left off.
1t seemed to me that the world was
ready to adopt the high American ideals
Of international friendship there ex-
pressed. A permanent arbitral court to
adjust all justiciable differences court
of arbitration to which the nations might,
at their option, submit their vital dif-
ferences, the machinery for mediation and
for commissions of inquiry in all other
cases, and a start toward codification of
International law would be welcomed,
thought, by all nations 1t was not so
much a political international structure
had in mind as it was a judicial struc-
ture.
later, and on April 25, 1919, in a speech
/ made before the sixth National Foreign
Trade Convention at Chicago, among
other things | said
1.-The Hague conference made great
progress. and we would be recreant to the
cause of humanity if now we failed to
take advantage of this opportunity to eX
tend the work of those conferences toward
more definite and larger international
law and q better international understand
ing.
"'All our people have believed in that
ideal and we hope now that that ideal is
to be realized, but our people are not for
transferring the sovereignty of America
from Washington to any other place. We
are also going to cling to our Monroe Doc
trine, and we are going to keep our flag
floating above the dome Of the capitol
''The League of Nations, as submitted to
the Senate, seemed to me to be subject to
grave objections. These objections in the
main, l think, have been removed by the
reservations adopted by the Senate.
while the League of Nations, even as
modified by the reservations adopted. does
not take the form which l believed it
should, namely judicial rather than polt-
ical, think it is the part of wisdom now
to ratify it with such reservations. Our
sovereignty is safeguarded, the Monroe
Doctrine is secure, the constitutional
powers Of Congress are not impaired. and
our right of withdrawal is made clear and
explicit do not see how permanent harm
can come from it, and do see the pos
sibility Of great good.
'If the treaty be ratified and America
becomes a party to the League of Ma
tions, she will have an opportunity to so
influence its activities and so help to
modify its form that 1t may in time real
ze the noble aspirations for world peace
of the great men who participated in The
Hague conferences.
IF 1t should fail to accomplish these
results or operate to the disadvantage of
America, the way is clear by which we
can withdraw. a,
81 therefore hope that the treaty may
be ratified promptly with the reserva-
tions, in substance, already adopted by
the Senate"