The Days of a Man 1919 



and impracticable as was the Treaty as a whole, one 

 could not see that anything would be gained by 

 refusal to ratify. But I much preferred that accep- 

 tance should be accompanied by certain explanations 

 or "mild reservations." I accordingly wrote the 

 following letter to Senator Charles L. McNary l of 

 Oregon, a Stanford man, successor to the fine- 

 spirited and sensitive Dr. Harry Lane, who as one of 

 the "willful twelve" had been virtually hounded to 

 death by intolerant "patrioteers": 



It is evident, on the one hand, that a treaty of peace among 

 the belligerent powers must be very soon concluded, and that 

 all signs point to the acceptance by Europe of the Treaty as 

 now drawn. 



It seems probable, moreover, that when the matter comes 

 to a vote in the Senate, the Treaty will not be divided, amended, 

 or rejected. 



It is possible, however, for the Senate to declare its under- 

 standing of certain paragraphs purposely left ambiguous, and 

 to dissociate itself from demands which seem impossible or 

 unjust, these being matters in which Europe or Asia are espe- 

 cially concerned. 



Why not accept the whole treaty, in spite of its demands 

 for the impossible, and in spite of certain irritating adjustments, 

 depending on the future for correction? 



The League of Nations will be what world public opinion 

 makes it, and in every country public opinion is a long way 

 ahead of the time-serving governments. The League gives a 

 chance to talk things over, and to delay violent action. Any 

 sort of a legalized concert would apparently have made the 

 outset of the great war impossible. 



Why not say something like this? "The Senate of the United 

 States accepts the Treaty of Peace as signed by the Allied 

 Powers and by the government of Germany, including clauses 

 I-XXVI, which provide for a League of Nations," at the same 

 time adding the following statement of interpretation: 



1 Identical communications were also sent by me to several other Senators. 



n 762 n 



