Perth Amboy evening news., 1921-05-04

can be satisfactorily accomplished by
such explicit reservations and modi-
hcations as will secure our absolute
freedom from inadvisable commitments
and safeguard all our essential inter-
ests."
The issue between the President and Senator
Lodge seems to be definitely joined. The
President declares it to be the wiser course
ito engage under the existing treaty" SEN
ator Lodge. on the other hand, speaks of a
separate treaty which will probably follow
the Knox resolution. Behind President Har-
ding in his stand in favor of engaging under
The existing treaty are the leaders in the Pres
idents cabinet, including Secretary of State
Charles L. Hughes and Secretary OF Commerce
Herbert Hoover. He also has the powerful
backing of such stalwart Republicans as for
mer President Taft, Elihu Root and former
Attorney General Wickersham. On the other
hand, behind the attitude assumed by Senator
Lodge are irreconcilables and bitter-enders,
such as Senators Johnson and Borah, with
Senators Penrose and Knox and the rest of the
senate oligarchy giving them every encourage
ment.
Perhaps the thing that peeves Senator Lodge
the most is that, as far as the treaty of Ver-
sailles is concerned. former President Wilson
has succeeded in doing exactly what he said
he would do. Speaking in New York March
!, 1919, before going to Paris the second time,
Mr.. Wilson said:
when that treaty { the treaty of
Versailles) comes back, gentlemen on
this side will find the covenant not only
in it, but so many threads Of the treaty
tied to the covenant that you cannot
dissect the covenant from the treaty
without destroying the whole vital
structure"
Senator Lodge is compelled to admit that this
is true and it no doubt rankles in his breast,
to think that the former President did some
thing that he (senator Lodge) cannot undo.
In his speech on the Knox resolution the sem
ator said:
The covenant is so intertwined with
the treaty that it will require on the
best calculations I have been able to
to make at least seventy-two amend
ments to get the league out of it. And
when we have got the league out of 1t
nothing but a shell remains"
This, then, is the underlying cause for SEN
ator Lodge taking the stand in favor of a sep
arate treaty with Germany in spite of the atti-
tuut VI IL ociidlol SCCS AZ
the acceptance of the present treaty in any
form, tho acceptance of something tainted with
wisconsin and anything, even breaking with
the Allies and defyins the President, is prefer
able to that.
But President Harding, with the approval of
a great majority os his party, has declared in
favor of an Association of nations All agree
that a getting together of the representatives
of all the governments to discuss general well
fare and international problems is desirable.
1t would seem. then, that the existing League
OF Nations. which is acceptable to forty-two
nations. might be the means of accomplishing
this Very thing. No doubt Senator Lodge would
be enthusia stically for it if anyone besides
Woodrow Wilson had had a hand in its making.
Secretary of state Hughes. there is reason
to believe, could make the treaty of Versailles,
covenant and all, acceptable to the great ma
jority Of the American people. He should be
given an opportunity to do so. To make a
separate treaty. especially at this time. would
be like a stab in the back for the Allies who
are doing their utmost to compel Germany to
live up to her obligations.
President Harding's task is a difficult one.
He is trying to keep on friendly terms with
the senate and at the same time back his sec
rotary of state In doing what is right in re-
gard to foreign affairs. Times are too pre-
carious to have the affairs Of the nation run on
the principal of personal hatred. Senator Lodge
is so blinded by his feelings toward the former
President that he is not a fit leader In matters
Of foreign policy at this time because more and
more it is being clearly demonstrated that the
Wilson policies were right and Senator Lodge
would rather be wrong than admit that. The
sooner President Harding makes it definitely
known that he will conduct his own foreign
affairs in his own way the better 1t will be for
him and for the country.