Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1919-08-20
Would Act Quickly When Ready.

lions of it's territory: If we have no
demand for reparation or indemnity
addresses to Congress. the war is
over; If there Is no fighting going on;
If Germany has signed the peace trea-
ty and you have signed the peace
of peace. and only the resolution Of
Congress that a state of war existed
a year ago-if that is all So. is there
no way by which the condition OF
made legally effective except by the
adoption of the proposed treaty?
The President: Senator. l would say
that there is no way which we ought
to be willing to adopt which separates
us in dealing with Germany from
those with whom we were associated
during the war.
Senator Brandegee: Why?
Would Uphold Moral Union.
The President: Because I think that
is a moral union which we are not
at liberty to break.
cued our fellow belligerents from the
German peril voluntarily and with
out any charge, and If we prefer not
to have any entanglements or connec-
pursue our course as we did before
the war, where Is the moral obliga-
ton to merge ourselves with Europe
forever?
The President: do not construe 1t
as merging ourselves, but I do think
we are under the plainest moral
obligation to join with our associates
in imposing certain conditions Of
peace on Germany.
Senator Brandegee: Even If we
treaty, with or without the Shantung
provision in it, and strike out article
l of the peace treaty, the covenant OF
the league of nations. we still join
with those With whom we have CO.
operated in establishing peace with
Germany. do we not, and are at lib
erty to trade with her?
The President: An unavoidable
peace, because the league is neces-
sary to the working OF it.
Senator Brandegee: Well. suppose
they have league. and we make a
reservation. we ratify the treaty with
the reservation that we are not bound
by article l. which is the covenant Of
the league-then they have league
OF nations covenant.
The President: Yes. and we are tied
|, into every other part of the treaty by
reason of the fact that we are sup
posed to be members of the league of
nations.
Senator Brandegee: Suppose we also
adopt the twenty-one amendments
that Senator Fall has pending before
the committee on foreign relations
striking us out of these commissions
the Gordian knot which tied us to the
covenant. We establish peace with
Germany just the same, I fancy. The
other powers could accept our amend
ments to the treaty or not. as they
chose. In either case Germany would
be at peace, and they would be in the
league, and we would be out of 1t. We
could have peace and resume all our
business in relation to copper mines
and zinc mines. and so forth, and we
establish the consular service, could we
not?
Hopes q. s. Will Not Consent.
The President: We could. sir. but
I hope the people of the United States
will never consent to do it,
Senator Brandegee: There Is no
way by which the people can vote on
The chairman: Are we not trading
with Germany now, as matter of
fact?
The President: Not so far as
know, sir.
have been issued. 1t is advertised in
all the New York papers.
The President: We removed the
restrictions that were formerly
placed upon shipments to neutral
countries which we thought were go
ing through to Germany.
The chairman: Yes; see them ad-
vertised broadly in the New York
papers.
Senator johnson Of California: Mr..
President, does the moral obligation
to which you have alluded compel us
to maintain American troops in Eu-
rope?
The President: Which moral obli-
cation, senator?
Senator Johnson of California: You
referred to the moral obligation rest
ing upon us to carry out the peace
terms and the like in conjunction with
our associates. and felt that it would
be. as 1 understood you. a breaking,
denial of that moral obligation, to
make a separate peace or to act by
ourselves.
The President: Yes
Senator Johnson of California: Does
that obligation go to the extent of
compelling us to maintain American
troops in Europe?
"Smal Bodies Necessary"
The President: Such small bodies
as are necessary to the carrying out
of the treaty, think: yes.
Senator Johnson of California: And
will those troops have to be main
tanned under the various treaties of
peace until the ultimate consumma-
ton of the terms Of those treaties?
The President: Yes, senator; but
that is not long. In no case, as 1
remember. does that exceed eighteen
months.
Senator johnson of California: I
was rather under the impression that
the occupation of Germany was to be
for fifteen years.
The President: Oh. beg your par
don.
The chairman: Along the Rhine.
The President: Along the Rhine;
yes. I was thinking Of Upper ST.
plebiscites are created, or to<be car
ried out. 1t is the understanding
with the other governments that we
are to retain only enough troops
there to keep our flag there.
Senator johnson of California: The
idea In my mind was this: Will we
be maintaining American troops upon
the Rhine for the next fifteen years?
The President: That is entirely
within our choice. senator; but 1 sup
pose we will.
Senator Johnson Of California: Do
not We have American troops in Buda-
pest at present?
The President: We have not. There
are some American officers there, SEN
ator. sent with a military commits
sion. but no American troops.
Senator Johnson of California: Re-
turning. ii you do not mind. Mr. Presi-
dent, to one last question about Shan
| tung. do you recall the American ex-
perts reporting that the Japanese
promise. the verbal promise which
has been referred to, to return Shan
tung, meant in reality the returning
of the shell but retaining the kernel
of the nut?