Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1920-10-22
Refuses RetrachOn
Continued from Page One)

knows already that only Congress
has a right to declare war and that
there are limits to legislation and
treaty making power. All govern
ments Of all civilized nations know
it. You accomplish nothing by tell
them OF 1t again. The trouble about
giving the guarantee provided in
Article x is that the making of a
treaty containing it is solemn as
surance to all the nations that it is
within the treaty-making power, and
that the promise to make war binds
congress as fully as it binds all other
members Of our government. to
maintain the plighted faith of the
United States. In all governments
the power to declare war rests some
where, and an agreement to make
war is an agreement that that power
shall be so exercised by the officers
in whom 1t rests. A refusal by con-
gress to pass the necessary resolu-
ton would simply be breach Of the
treaty.
IAN analogous case is the power
of Congress to appropriate money.
There is no other power in our Aov-
eminent to do that; but, if the Uni
ted States makes treaty agreeing to
pay a million dollars to another
country, would any one say that the
obligation could be cancelled by a
refusal of Congress to appropriate
the money? Certainly not. The
only effect would be that the United
States would have broken faith. The
real question il whether we shall en-
ter into guarantee under which the
faith of treaties will require congress
to pass resolution declaring war.
That is what che President proposed.
That is what your telegram makes
1t clear you propose. ,5s+r
ION the same day when you sent
the telegram, according to the press
reports, in a meeting at Providence
some one in the audience asked you
Would you accept the Lodge reser-
vations to the League of Nations
there was your opportunity Among
those reservations was one which
said: *
1.-THE United States assumes
NJ obligation to preserve the terri
torial integrity or political indie
pendence of any other country by the
employment of its military or naval
forces, ETC., unless in any particular
case the Congress which under the
constitution has the SOLE. power to
declare war or to authorize the en-
ployment of the military or naval
forces of the United States shall in
the exercise of full liberty or action
by act or Joint resolution so pro-
vide
That reservation would leave
Congress free whenever the time
came to act in accordance with it's
judgment and conscience, and the
judgment and conscience of its con-
stituents regarding the merits of the
controversy at that time.
Your position as you now state it
would leave Congress bound by the
solemn pledge Of faith of our country
to pass the resolution for war, no
IudttCI WudI tHc UlcIltS OL the COnJTO-
versy might be.
IF you did not mean that Con-
gress should be bound, you had an
opportunity at that meeting in
Providence to say I agree to this
reservation or to this part of this
reservation
Your answer lie reported to- have
been The Lodge reservations never
were seriously suggested. II they
had been, Senator Lodge would have
declared for them in the Republican
platform adopted at Chicago And
thus you side-stepped the question
and you state in your telegram to me
the perfectly futile thing you are
willing to do upon the subject of
Article X.
Your telegram to me undertakes
to state your case, and/ both what
you say and what you refrain from
saying confirm the understanding
expressed in my speech that your po-
1itiOn and Durudae are to imnose