The Wilmington morning star. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1909-1990, 1943-11-21

home was Senate that might toss
them out the window.
Even so Wilson threw himself
doggedly into the work of persuad-
irg the conference to accept his
principles and to write a. League
of Nations covenant into the peace
treaty.
On that score he had trouble.
Several of the powers had been
figuring on grabs of German col
onies as payroll for their war
troubles. Wilson wanted the col
onies inundated. Obviously, land
grab scarcely would square with
the implied self determination"
n the fourteen points
So the delegates at the confer
ence fought to split the writing
of the treaty and the league. Treaty
first, they said, and then We'll
agree on league.
At home. the republicans, led by
Sen. Henry Cabot Lodge, the am
bassador from Massachusetts
grandfather Of the current Sen.
ator Lodge wanted the same
thing; treaty first. league later.
Wilson finally got vote making
the league An integral part of the
peace treaty. He became chairman
of the drafting committee, and re-
ported out the covenant Feb. IA.
1919.
Rorah. of Idaho, who wanted NO
International relations whatsoevre,
called it triumph for British
diplomacy Reed of Missouri call
ed the league an international
smelling committee
On March 3, 1919, Lodge caused
a minor sensation by bringing out
a Round Robin" statement
signed by SO Senators, which said
the proposed league should not be
accepted by the United States. The
SO men were more than the one
third needed in the Senate to kill
any treaty.
There was echoing CONSERVATION
IN Europe. The conference was pro-
ceedlng to the creation of a Lea
que of Nations And yet, here was
news Som the United States that
the political enemies of the Ameri-
can President probably had the
strength to kill American partici-
patton.
However. the treaty. with its lea
que covenant, was finally adopted
On June %, 1919.
Wilson returned home to the
Senate battle over ratificati ton, and
to face various anti-lea que blocs
Of public opinion at which his SEN
ate opponents aimed their speech
es. COMMUNICATIONS who felt
The Fatherland' had been rough
ly treated, Irish who wanted their
independence written into the
treaty; Italians who were angry
that Italy didn't get Fiume.
In addition, soldiers were return
ing, disguised with Europe. The
war tension was over, and people
were generally sick of being noble
about making the world safe for
democracy"
The battle in the Senate settled
down to writing reservations to
the league. 1t was a time consum-
ing job. Several historians have
supposed that the object of the
Ledge cohorts was just that: To use
up time until they could talk away
the country's enthusiasm for
league
Before the battle started On the
Senate floor. some historians have
estimated that a probable 80 per
cent of American opinion was for
some kind of league. More than 30
state legislatures had passed reso.
-utlons in favor of international co,
operation.
The job of killing the league Ell
must have seemed large.
because ex-Sen. James E. Watson.
Il indiana, has written of asking
Lodge how he hoped to do it. Wat
son says Lodge replied, Il don't
to try to beat it by direct
attack, but by the indirect
nethod of reservations.
mere has been tremendous con-
ecture over Lodges motives. It's
'>serted emphatically by some that
le was for "A' league, but not
MS particular one. On the other
land, Thomas A. Bailey, the STAN
ord university historian. has writ