The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1919-09-12
THE PRESIDENTS TRIP.

A great many people who had hoped
+ that President Wilson on his trip over
the country would be able to throw
sufficient light on the proposed treaty
OF peace to make it clear and satisfac-
tory to all, are sorely disappointed.
Very little has been said in the presi-
dents speeches in favor of the treaty.
The big argument has been to show
the people what would happen to the
United States if the senate did not
favor signing the treaty.
President Wilson seems to admit
that he made a mess of the treaty ne
gotiations, that the treaty is not what
we expected or wanted, but having
gotten into bad hole the only way
out is to sign the treaty. If we don't
sign. dire DISTRESS is in store for us.
What the people want to know is why
we got into this hole. Was it neces,
sary? Couldn't it have been avoided
if the president had stayed at home
and sent competent representatives to
the peace conference whom he could
have directed from Washington and
keeping his mind clear and level on
world conditions could have guided
them away from the traps he fell into ?
We people of the west are decidedly
interested in knowing whether or not
Japan has such concessions under the
treaty tina gives her almost complete
control of the Pacific. The business
men of the, Pacific know today that
Japan controls the shipping on the
Pacific. During the war she took adj
vantage of the fact that all the allied
boats were needed on the Atlantic and
she not only built up large mer-
chant marine on the Pacific but
charged exorbitant and unreasonable
rates.
Sailing on the Pacific was safe and
profitable. A large amount of stock
in these Japanese shipping companies
is owned by Japanese brokers and
merchants who get special rates and
concessions making it possible for
them to undersell the American i'm
porters who buy goods in Japan and
the Orient. The rates to outsiders are
kept up to the highest point possible,
the space that cannot be sold at these
prices is sold to Japanese brokers who
are stockholders at cut rate and they
are thus enabled to put the American
dealers out Of business.
Under the terms of the proposed
treaty japan is given control of all the
German North Pacific islands and a
portion of the Shauntung penincula.
This gives Japan coaling stations and
an advantage on the Pacific that no
other nation enjoys. The people of
the west would like to have the presi-
dent explain these things and show
them how American interests are
being protected.
The president justifies the giving OF
portion of China to Japan by saying
that England, France and Italy had al
ready agreed to do so. Are we to
make the world safe for democracy By
becoming a party to all the rotton
deals that other nations have made /?
Why is it necessary for the United
States to become party to this deal ,
Our commissioners went to Paris to
make peace with Germany and not to
mix and NEEDLE in all the domestic
squabbles in the old world Are we
bringing the other nations up to our
ideals or are we just joining the gang
Some of the best statesmen think
the proposed treaty will force Ger
many, Russia, and China into an al
lance for self protection We have
made an enemy of China, have an army
fighting in Russia and have told Ger
many she cannot join the league OF
nations. If Germany can organize the
man power and resources of Russia
and China all the allied nations could
] not defeat her. Instead of league OF
nations we are merely dividing the
world into two big alliances. Let the
president discuss these things and no;
content himself by calling those who
differ with him pro Germans
"pygmies" and "reactionaries. The
people want facts, not words.