The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1919-09-11


one of two things WOULD happen
either the President would REFUSE
to go FURTHER with the treaty, or he
WOULD have to SUBMIT the amend
ment to the rations associated with
the United States in the war
Does anyone believe" asked the
senator, that the other nations
WOULD accept the Shantung amend
ment?" He pointed out that Great
Britain has already ratified the treaty
and is under pledge to Japan with
reference to Shantung; that France
is soon to ratify the treaty and is UNI
der the same pledge to Japan
Does anyone SUPPOSE that Japan
herself WOULD SUBMIT to such
HUMILIATION before the eyes of the
world?" asked Hitchcock THE an
swer is simple" he asserted. We
WOULD find OURSELVES OUT in
the cold isolated from the rest of the
world
what then, will the United States
do? What will those American states
men propose who stand for this meth
cd of killing the treaty? Some of
them will say that congress can pass
Joint resolution declaring a state Of
peace with Germany, others say tho
United States can negotiate sepa-
rate and independent treaty of peace
with Germany Those who talk this
way evidently have no conception of
the enormous benefits and advantages
which the United States derives from
this treaty, which we wrung from
Germany at the lannon's mouth.
Neither have they any conception Of
the difficulties involved in negotiating
a new treaty with Germany to estab-
lish the terms of peace and settle the
controversies of the war.
ITO my mind, it would be suicidal
for the United States to throw away
the advantages and benefits provided
in this treaty. 1t would be disastrous
commercially and financially 1t would
put us at an enormous disadvantage in
our International relations not only
with Germany but with those nations
which we would thus desert. They
would remain bound together by ties
of mutual interest. They would en-.
joy the benefits of the treaty and
would not be slow to take even advan-
tage of them. They would resent our
desertion
up to this point, have discussed
the possible defeat of the treaty by
means of proposed amendments to it.
That is the real program and hope
of the majority of the committee on
foreign relations. 1t is for that pur-
pose that the treaty has been locked
up in cold storage for so many weeks.
The enemies of the League Of Nations
in the senate are not many compared
to its friends, but they control the
committee. They have felt justified
in retaining the treaty in the com
mittee holding useless hearings and
making killing amendments with the
full knowledge that amendments
would beat the treaty just as effec
lively as a refusal to ratify
IA few, very few. senators have
declared that they would vote against
the treaty because of the League of
Nations, but 1t has remained for the
senator from Pennsylvania (Mr
Knox to declare boldly against our
participation in the treaty settlement
ITO say that he has amazed the
country is to put It mildly-he has
shocked the country.
strangely enough, after months
time, number Of speeches in which
his attack on the treaty has been on
the League of Nations, he now takes
a new position. He formerly favored
taking the League of Nations out of
the treaty and ratifying the peace set.
Element with Germany. Now he sud
denly changes front, declares in favor
of deserving the nations associated
with us in the war and advocates an
unconditional peace or negotiated
peace with Germany.
"Was there ever a more insane in
ternational policy proposed2 In the
mixture of poltroonery and folly It Is
difficult to see which predominates.
Senator Knox goes the limit. He not
only proposes that we desert our
friends and abandon OUR obligations
but he SUGGESTS that we release
Germany from all promises OF indem
mites and reparations.
"Why not go FURTHER and pro
pose that we compensate Germany?
That WOULD be a still stronger ap
peal to German sentiment"
Senator Hitchcock said that he had
FULL faith that the treaty would re
ceive different treatment in the sen.
ate than it has In the foreign relations
comfittee. "In the senate" he said,
there are few men who favor desert
ing the CAUSE of civilization until
the victory in the field has beRn rem
dered permanent by a peace settle
ment with ample guarantees. In the
senate are few senator's who favor re
leasing Germany from all responsible
ity for the war, few senators willing
to sacrifice the material interests OF
the United States which this treaty
alone can protect"
In concluding, what was without
doubt one OF the best speeches that
has been made in the senate for the
ratification Of the treaty without
amendment, Senator Hitchcock said
Il can not close without a few
words on the League OF Nations fea.
ture of the treaty which has been SO
persistently and unreasonably at