Fulton County tribune. (Wauseon, Ohio) 1883-1925, 1919-09-05
ASKS SEPARATE
PACT WITH FOE
Senator Knox Pleads With COL
leagues to Reject "Iiard
and Cruel Terms.''
SAYS IT MEANS MORE WARS
Former Secretary of State Fears Ger,
many Will Be Driven Into New
AIIiance-DecIares China Is
Being Robbed.


the peace treaty cannot be enforced
but will lay the foundation for cen
turies of blood letting" Senator Knox
of Pennsylvania, a Republican men,
Der of the foreign relations committee
and former secretary of state, told the
senate that the United States should
decline to become party to the settle
ment effected at Versailles and should
negotiate a separate peace with Ger
many.
In it's "hard and truel" terms, he as
serted, the treaty imposed on Germany
penalties which violate international
law and engender strife. He declared
there was no reason why the United
States should project itself into the
dangers of such a situation.
Not Safe to Deal With Treaty.
"The more 1 consider this treaty."
said Mr.. Knox, ''the more l am con-
vinced that the only safe way for US
to deal with it is to decline to be a
party to it at all.
Il think we should renOunce in favor
of Germany any and all claims for in
1emnity because of the war and see
that she gets credit for what we re-
0ounce. We ought to renounce all par
ticipation or membership in commits
sions, committees, boards or other
agencies provided for in the treaty in
aid of its execution to which by its
terms we are parties. We ought not
to accept cessions of German territory.
We ought to declare a general policy
to regard with concern any threat of
disturbance of general world peace,
but at the same time we should reserve
complete liberty of action either indie
Dendently or in conjunction with other
powers in taking such steps as we de-
termine wise for preserving the peace.
"We ought then to carry out the
spirit of the act of 1916, which author
lied the president to convene the ma
tions of the world together to estab-
lish code of international law, reduce
ornaments, to establish an interna-
tional tribunal and go as far as posi-
ole in the direction of securing peace
through justice. through a league to
which all the world are parties in its
formation.
1T is, indeed, hard and cruel peace
that this treaty stipulates and have
no objections to its being so, but see
40 reason why we, who do not partake
Of its spoils, should become parties to
| its harshness and cruelty.
Ancient Friend China Robbed.
81 see no reason why we should be
parties to imposing upon Germany a
| treaty whose terms, our negotiators
say, she will not be able to meet; a
treaty that robs our ancient friend,
China, in a way disapproved by our
negotiators; a treaty that lays the
foundation for centuries of blood let
| ting, into which we should not be
drawn; treaty that contrary to our
own judgment, fails to fix the amount
of indemnity to be paid, leaving that
vast question to the whim of ma
| jority of commission on reparations
a treaty predicated upon the assertion
that a stricken and helpless world re
quires our COUNSEL and support, but
leaves to the benefciares the decision
as to the measure and character of the
benefactionS they are to receive; a
treaty that with ominous words pre-
Sages our involvement in the erup.
tons of suppressed volcanic world con.
ditions; a treaty that would require
us to underwrite all the regional un.
derstandings between nations recog
nized by the league, most of which are
based upon oppression of weak nations
many of which are as yet secret anC
undiSclOsed, and when disclosed might
drive US to acts of injustice similar Il
that in which the president felt him
self compelled to acquieSce in the cast
of Shantung"
Says Russia Is Not Included.
Calling attention to the fact tha
Russia was not included in the peace
settlement, he continued:
''Think you misunderstanding anC
staggering under the terms of thi
treaty-will supinely rest content will
| llIC NlOIC VI SlttNN tlllu oulACI CtIlCC W.
are vouchsafing her, the crumbs iron
her victors' table? That people viii
no more cease to plot and plan to re
cover their former high state than di,
Satan, plunged into the abysma
depths of hell. Whether they are il
the league if formed or out of it, Ger
many's agents, secretly or openly, viii
be at work with her former allies, an,
with injured Russia and with Japan
AS Russia goes so will go the who'll
Slavic and affiliated peoples. And i
Germany succeeds in this, western Eu
rope, at least must perish"
Stripped of its idealistic phrases
Mr. Knox said, the treaty really wa
but an alliance of five great powers
against which Germany would try t
bring stronger alliance. The rea
interest of France, he said, was i
gaining the friendship and not th
enmity of the German peonle.
"The instrument before U.S." he sale
sis not the treaty but the truce c
! Versailles