It would entail, in the ultimate, more real
injury than the war itself. The Democratic position on the
question, as expressed in platform is:
"'We advocate immediate ratification of the Treaty without
reservations which would impair its essential integrity, but do
no oppose the acceptance of any reservation making clearer or
more specific the obligations of the United States to the League
associates.'
"The first duty of the new administration clearly will be the
ratification of the Treaty. The matter should be approached
without thought of the bitterness of the past. The public
verdict will have been rendered, and I am confident that the
friends of world peace as it will be promoted by the League,
will have in numbers the constitutional requisite to favorable
senatorial action. The captious may say that our platform
reference to reservations is vague and indefinite. Its meaning,
in brief, is that we shall state our interpretation of the
covenant as a matter of good faith to our associates and as a
precaution against any misunderstanding in the future. The point
is, that after the people shall have spoken, the League will be
in the hands of its friends in the Senate, and a safe index as
to what they will do is supplied by what reservations they have
proposed in the past.
"Our platform clearly lays no bar against any additions that
will be helpful, but it speaks in a firm resolution to stand
against anything that disturbs the vital principle.
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