| Show TAFT Aff N hoTES T lA I tH I l' l tR UJ fil Z J Stable le Correspondence e I IV ith President ent Wilson ilson t ii q Public t. t n Adopted in iri Paris aris I 1 J D U GI III Oct 11 UT- UT J Cable correspondence e- e 3 President Wilson and andi andt t Il i cr President Taft in 1910 the drafting of the i kU u u ot of nations covenant at Paris it made inada ad here ere tonight by Cd C p. Democratic I l t together with a st state state- te- te tV bye byr tie ev candidate criticising I tor or Lodge of ot Mas Masa- Masa aJ a- a f 1 n. n J ther league opponents r t t. t tW ibe correspondent det doand de- de t 1 ht and had Jad cable 1 t Pr lent Wilson tilson sub- sub J. J nF suggestions for forthe 1 b P a the le league draft l iff the pr president regarding I r rp to th the senate governor v Coxs Cox's st statement who Is to make addresses h here re and anda a St. St Louis Ill and St. St Louis I Jd that he published the Taft Taft- WJ on ft a correspondence correspond a White f se V memorandum memorandum because because Ufe of ot the iroc 1 position President ex-President Taft I f ing Lot other er friends of the league now I UP In their support of the candi- candi Jat tt t. t r-of r ot of the league Ir Correspondence Governor Cox V d was initiated by by- him Mr as a result of his study of the rf iR f. f agreement and quoted d Mr iN W- W Win t in an a effort efort to show that the thel I l president has repudiated his viv words uttered when sincerity of J t and Intelligence were tot not ot be- be 1 n IIII lauded d fy hp pa j jf f I t i L political j FOLLOWED SUGG SUGGESTIONS Sr NS The White House memorandum zy containing some Rome bi of bf the cables ex exchanged exchanged ox- ox changed by Wilson and Mr Taft TaCt stated th that t In every in instance instance In- In stance tance the president followed Mr Tans Tan's suggestions suggestion and Governor Coxs Cox's statement declared that every Nevery suggestion suggestion sug sug- of Mr Taft was followed lit lit- era The correspondence Indicated that Mr Ir Tafts Taft's suggestions dealt principally principally prin prin- with protecting the Monroe doctrine and dealing denting with American domestic questions withdrawal 1 the l league gue unanimous league decisions de de- de- de and Disarmament The correspondence corre corre- e ma made e public contained two I. I cablegrams from the president to Mr I Taft and several from Mr Taft to I the executive e including one on In which A. A Lawrence Larence Lowell president of Harvard university Joined The White House memorandum quoted at length league amendments to show chow how adoption of of- Mr r. r Tafts Taft's sug- sug The final cablegram from Mr Tart Taft sent to Secretary and forwarded to 0 o the the- president as asien given ien in iii published correspondence was cas dated June 28 1919 Just before the president returned to present the treaty to the senate It read TEXT OF NOTE 1 I 1 would like Uke to to send a a- return message message message mes mes- sage sage and that i is that the president I argue for tor the league and its necessity J sity the impossibility to secure peace without It Jt the dreadful unrest in Europe the pressure of our allies to raU ratify and secure peace at once 1 the need of of- the league with the United States to stabilize and to T resist bolshevism bolshevism bol- bol the necessity for renewal of negotiations i If It an important amendment amendment amendment amend amend- ment like striking out article 10 Is made the absurdity of a congressional al aI declaration of peace on one side the giving IP up ip of ot all objects of ot the war In such a peace if Germany were to make a similar declaration I 1 hope sincerely he will wilt not attack the Republican Republican Re TIe- publican senators His appeal willbe will willbe willbe be be much more Influential If he pleads his cause and does not attack the opposition I IOn IOn On March l 16 1919 the correspondence dence showed hoed Secretary sent the president a message stating tating that Mr l Taft desired to cable the president direct with suggestions not looking to change the structure of the league the plan of action or its real character but simply removing objections In the minds of conscientious Americans S which it its language does not riot Justify justify justify Jus jus- and fears could be removed without any considerable change of language WELCOMED ADVICE I The reply given by President Wilson Wil Wil- s son n. n said ne ne be would appreciate Mr wel wel- welcome welcome Tafts Taft's offer of suggestions and come ome them be bet bet- The sooner they they are are sent the I n 1 1 I. I I I I 7 f C f I- I je t 0 r l v pI 1 added QU yourself mo it I t r. r r re rethe re- re gara o the embodiment of the the- proposed proposed proposed pro pro- posed convention in the tho treaty I On March 18 th the correspondence showed Mr Taft cabled ed a a. reservation a-reservation for the r doctrine stating that It alone would probably carry the treaty but others would make It tain tam Mr Tafts Taft's detailed suggestions were If It you OU bring back the treaty with the league of nations In it make more specific reservation of the Monroe doctrine doe fix Ix a a. term for duration of the league and of armament require expressly unanimity of action in executive council and body of at delegates delegates dele dele- gates and add to article 15 i a. a provision provision pro pro- vision that where the executive council coun coun- cil cli of the body of ot delegates finds the difference to grow out of an ex exclusively ex- ex domestic policy It shall shaH recommend recommend recommend rec rec- no settlement the ground wilt will willbe be completely cut from under under the the op opponents op- op of the league in the the senate The latter Mr Taft said would cover tariff Japanese Immigration and similar domestic questions Submitting drafts of or proposed amendments and detailed arguments In their b behalf half one of Mr Tafts Taft's messages messages mes rues sages stated The Republican R senators are trying to stir sUr up anxiety among Republicans lest this be a limitation upon our tar tariff It would help heip m much ch to meet and remove objections and cut the ground under senatorial l obstruction ARTICLE PRO PROPOSED I Regarding the doctrines doctrine's protection Mr Taft f was quoted as follows My 1 Impression Is that if the one I article already sent on the Monroe l doctrine doctrine doc doe docI I trine be inserted in In Inthe the treaty sufficient sufficient suf suf- Republicans who signed the would retreat round robin probably I from their position n and vote for ratification ratification rati rati- so It would carry If the theother theother theother other suggestions were adopted I feel confident that all but a few who op oppose oppose oppose op- op i pose an any league at all would be driven I Ito to accept them and to st stand nd for the league I Another message by Taft on I March 28 1919 upon the same subject said Venture to suggest to president that failure to to reserve Monroe doctrine more specifically in face of opposition in conference will give great weight to objection league as first reported endangers doctrine It will seriously embarrass advocates of league It will certainly lead to senate amendments embodying drIng doctrine an nn dother provIsions provisions provi provI- in form less likely to secure subsequent subsequent subsequent sub sub- sequent acquiescence of other nations than proper reservations now Deem some some kind of Monroe doctrine amendment amendment amendment amend amend- ment now to article 10 vital to acc acceptance acceptance accept accept- pt- pt ance of league in this country I say this with full fun realizations that complications com corn In conference are many and not clearly understood here A stron and successful stand now will carry carty I II the league 1 Another on April 13 signed by Mr M. Taft and A. A Lawrence Lowell read Friends of the covenant are seriously alarmed over the report that no amendment will be made more specifically safeguarding the Monroe doctrine At a full meeting of the executive committee of ot the League to Enforce Peace with thirty men from eighteen states present unanimous unanimous I I opinion was that without such amendment Republican senators will VIII certainly defeat ratification of the I treaty because public opinion will sustain them With such amendment treaty will be promptly ratified The VI White te House memorandum made public by Governor Cox said that the leagues league's reservation of do domestic do questions was made as suggested suggested suggested sug sug- by Mr Taft and nd almost in his own words All o 0 the other suggestions suggestions sug sug- Mr Taft it stated were followed as shown by quotations from the league covenant COMPOSITE THOUGHT I In making public the correspondence Governor Coxs Cox's statement said that the time had arrived to bring before I the American Jury the recorded evidence evidence evi evi- dence deuce that the league is the I composite thought tho of the leading statesmen of the world and that It incorporated all the suggestions that were vere honestly offered by lea leading United States citizens Citing suggestions suggestion by Elihu Root Charles E. E Hughes and others Governor Governor Governor Gover Gover- I nor Cox reiterated that Its opposition was a partisan conspiracy I It seems but yesterday said Governor Governor Governor Gov Gov- Cox that all the leaders of Am American thought were for the league The Th past eighteen months months months' of plot and I conspiracy ho holding up the civilization I Ithe of the world and d tearing at the heart heartstrings heartstrings strings of hu humanity for fol political fo political purposes purposes purposes pur pur- I II poses ar are as a nightmare Governor Cox referred to the White WhiteHouse I I I House dinner in February 1919 at which President Wilson he said conferred conferred conferred con con- upon the league covenant with the senate foreign relations and house foreign affairs committee and added ASSAILS LODGE But before this meeting Henry j I I Cabot Lodge as the arch conspirator I of the ages had uttered his defiance and issued the mandate that peace I should not be came as the result I I I I I II I j I I I I of effort in which the president had hada hadI a directing hand A partisan victory born In hatred and discontent was his goal let the cost to civilization be what It ft It might In sequence a afew afew afew few days after the conference Senator Lodge his infamous round I robin signed by thirty-seven thirty Republican Republican lican senators who declared that the league was not acceptable in the form presented but who under partisan leadership made no suggestions of ot any kind for its Improvement Improvement- as a I means of preserving the peace of ot the I world j PUBLIC PUBLIC- CONFERENCE I In this co connection n let It be emphasized emphasized em em- that not one single sugI suggested sug sug- I am amendment received from any responsible source went unheeded I instead the majority of t were requested by the president to be put Into writing and were Incorporated Incorporated incorporated I in the revised dra draft t virtually I verbatim Then after the president returned I I in July 1919 wath the treaty and the thc final draft of the covenant he a again aln I conferred with all alt the members member of or the senate committee on foreign relations The conference was public in the i sense that official stenographers were present and the questions and answers I were given to the newspapers as rapidly as transcripts could be made At this meeting there developed the I visible evidence that the senatorial ring of oC the ary forces had forces had i I perfected their partisan conspiracy I that no desire to understand the covenant and that they purposed I to becloud and confuse the public mind Their attitude was one of ot evident evi dent and implacable hostility I Previous to this development the thee president e h had appeared p in person before the c senate at and had discussed I the treaty in submitting it It something it-something no other president has done in more I I. I than years |
