TLS signed “Wm. H. Taft,” two pages, 8 x 10.25, personal letterhead, April 30, 1919. Letter to Gus Karger, in part: “I deeply regret the announcement of Lodge’s attitude this morning toward the League in respect to the Italian question. If he is committing his party to an opposition, he is running a very great risk of making Wilson a third time the President. For him to oppose Wilson, who is trying to get peace on the other side on the basis of certain principles in which I sympathize with him entirely especially with respect to Italy, it will be properly charged that he is playing for the Italian vote…Lodge is not a far-sighted politician. He is so distinctly partisan and he is personally so very vain and so full of his position in the Senate that his judgment is often politically erroneous…What I am now anxious to do is to see whether it is possible to secure seven or eight, or perhaps ten Republican Senators who will vote for the League as it is. I think Frank Kellogg will. I am hopeful that Smoot can be brought to a position where he will. Cummins has announced that he will…If we have forty-three or forty-four Democrats, it would only need five Republicans to vote against any amendment, because that is where the mischief is to be done by carrying an amendment by a majority vote. If we can prevent that, then the Republicans can not afford to stand on the issue of ‘Peace or continued state of war.’” Taft makes several handwritten emendations to the text, and adds a brief postscript below his signature, “Can we not count on Groma, Colt and Capper? The latter is slipping.” In very good to fine condition, with rusty paper clip marks to the top corner of each page. Accompanied by an unsigned copy of a response to Taft’s letter, presumably from Karger. Henry Cabot Lodge led a very heated and public opposition to President Wilson’s plans for American involvement in the League of Nations. Joined by Ohio Senator William Borah, they spearheaded the opposition of Article X of the Covenant, which called for the League to provide assistance to a member experiencing external aggression. Despite Taft’s best efforts to garner the necessary votes for approval, Lodge succeeded and Wilson was unable to ratify his obligation to join the League. Pre-certified PSA/DNA.
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