The daily banner. (Cambridge, Md.) 1897-2008, 1919-03-19
C()NCRESS MAY
DECLARE PEACE
Senate, L2nrOot Reveals Plan
Of leagg3 uppoa3n1s
Scln.EEiE TO DEFEAT COERCION
Wisconsin Man Declares il teaea" is =
ircle-ied in Pe~~c Treaty ar .-to7t
Will Be Made to Sep7: 80 !he."

Washington, March 19.-A& INST any
attampl TO coerce the st.I.:,r of the
United States into accepting = league
Of nations constitution which sur
renders national sovere.%ntT anH I'M
periis American Independence, t;'..rb-
iliran and some Democratic senators
are organizing for determined resist
ancn
In ease the league OF nations "0nr
Tacr is included IN the peace Treaty.,
rs now seems pro1Hi>lc. they announc"
their Intention of separating the two
before considering the terms Of either.
;;arator Lcnr9ot, of Wisconsin. i'll
an address before the Washington
Co amercial club, said that the club
tn president will WELD over the S"n-
a5e, hat of postponinG paaC" unless
the league of nations coYenant is A.
ccntad. is 4 club of straw.
NJ. I.enroot insists that congress-
having the sole right under rhe con
81 turnn tn declare war. necessarily
has he right also the declare peace,
and that, if it is determined necessary.
the congress when If meets will put
through n resolution declaring that the
war between the United States and
Germany is at an end Then it will
proceed to the consideration of p"are
terms
Senator LenrOOt said:
"Tho great war has been won. peace
Is here except for the making Of a
formal treaty, but we are told the
president of the United States will
not permit peace with Germany unless
there is made part of the peace
treaty the constitution of q lna@ne of
nations drawn in large part by Great
Britain and agreed to by the presi-
dent
eve are told this will be done to
force the senate to accept without
amendment this British constitution
notwithstanding our government and its
foreign and domestic policies. In other
words. the senate is TO no coerced to
do something which # Otherwise would
not do, and public opinion in Ameri-
ca is to be coerced into demanding
ratification.
'Tn my Judgment. President Wilson
has once more miSiudged tho temper
of the American people and misiudged
the senate. I am in favor of league
OF nations. I am in favor of the GEN
eral plan OF the league as proposed
but rs one senator I will say that
will not be coerced into voting fn'
the constitution of the league Of ma
tons. and I am certain the senate will
not be-
''The league of nations constitution
will be considered upon its merits. and
the action taken will he upon its
merits. regardless OF whether ii i
coupled with the peace treaty or not.
'If the constitution should not be
amended to protect and safeguard the
=! interests of the United States, the SEN
ate will propose amendments as it may
deem necessary.
. Germany is whipped. We are ask
| ing for no annexation, no indemnities,
! We have accomplished the purpose we
| had when we declared war, and while
| 1t would be desirable to have a fOrma!
/ treaty of peace with Germany. it IS
not necessary.
eve can declare the war has ended
! and go on with our business, and
confidently predict that this is what
will be done if the treaty is not ratified
! by the senate. The proposed leagne
of nations will then have to be con-
sidered separately ut is considered
at all. BY this course the United
| States will lose nothing, for the obli'
cations imposed upon us by the pro
posed league far outweigh any possible
benefits coming to US.
! >"America does not need a league OF
nations so much as a league Of ma
| tons needs America, and the Amer!
can people are willing to enter such
a league provided thai the Legitimate
| interests of America are properly safe
guarded, which they are not IN the
constitution as now proposed"