It would seem that the American public is favourable in
principle to a League of Nations, but that there are wide differ. slices of opinion regarding the details of the scheme drafted in Patio. Mr. Taft, himself a strong supporter of the League, has declared that 5the scheme needs revision, that it is nebulous in reference to the obligations which it imposes on States, and that it should be qualified by an express reservation of the Monroe Doctrine. Other Republicans like Mr. Lodge base their opposition to the scheme on the ground that it would undermine the sovereignty of the United States and place the control of American policy in the hands of an Executive of nine, only one of whom would be an American. It seems to ke thought that the President will be strengthened by all this oiticiam in his supposed desire to amend the Paris draft scheme. Verbal amendments, however, will be of minor importance. What we all wish to know la whether America will join in any League of Nations, however modestly conceived, and abandon for good her traditional isolation.
