The Greeneville daily sun. (Greeneville, Tenn.) 1918-1920, 1919-12-15
BUSINESS AND THE TREATY.


The Chamber Of Commerce Of the State Of New York
has adopted resolution demandinm that the differences
between the President and the Senate on the reservations
70 the peace treaty composed without delay and the
treaty ratfd The failure to ratfy II Is said has caused
"a crisis in morals and in trade phrase which u ex
planned in the following declaration In the report made
to the Chamber Of Commerce by its joint Executive and
finance committees and indorsed by that body;
AS consequence Of this unhappy condition we are
losing moral leadership; the legitimate commerce
which victory assured us is slipping away The pros
perity Of Americas export trade is largely dependent
upon the extension Of credits to our customers
abroad But pending the ratification of the treaty
thus establishing known basis for the continuance of
international trade, no adequate credit plans can
possibly be established. The alarm of the whole
world Of business this protracted delay in evil
denced by thes continued and wholly unprecedented
fall in rates Of exchange fall almost as detrimen.
tai to exporters it is for the unfortunate peo
Piles Of Europe who unable to buy from us the
food and materials which they so sorely need.
1t is conceded that the treaty it stands cannot
mand the number of votes necessary for ratification but
the Chamber Of Commerce insists that unlcss the parties
Of the controversy make concessions we shall soon stand
before the world selfindcted as governmentay incom
petent" The idea OF a separate peace with Germany
is strongly condemned Such peace says the decara
ton would not only mperi American business interests
but would be base abandonment Of allies and Of
principles" "A peace" it goes on to say, in which
xvran tho of Isolation IN
terest would be as dshonorable as further delay would
have been in decision to enter the war on April 6,
1917" The resolution adopted reads as follows:
That some form of international covenant which
seeks to prevent is moral necessity, and that
the differences between the President and the Senate
should be composd without delay by such mutual
concession regarding reservations may be neces-
sary in the treaty to ratification.
These the strongest utterances that have yet
o business organization, but they express very clear
ly the conviction that this is indeed business matter Of
supreme Importance this paper has frequently asserted
make the impression that this compact dealistic
conception that could reject without injury to
eria interests This is the of the truth It is
intensely practical proposition, based upon great
moral obligation and great moral truth. We it to
the world and to ourselves to share in the restoration and
reconstruction necessated by the war; and the business
of this association who "ideaisc" enough to
aze this obligation also practical enough to that
there great material reasons ectng individually
for partisan organization They not concerned in the
political aspects Of the situation They know business
men, who among the greatest and most sagacous bus
mess in the United States that great and grave
crisis presented to the whole country by the delay in
the ratification of the treaty. crisis whose speedy settle
ment vital to prosperity well to honor and
to desire for enduring peace The example they
have set should be followed by business interests and
every other interest throughout the country that the gov
eminent may be convincingy impressed with the neces
sty for definite and final actionSt Louis Globe-Demo
crat