Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1919-09-12
SAYS TREATY AMENDMENT
SACRIFICES c! US. INTERESTS
Minority Report OF Senate Foreign
Relations Committee Raps
Majority Document.
1NvALIDATEs ALL CONCESSIONS
Defeat of Pact Relieves Germany of
All Enforceable Obligations to This
Country Resulting From Dictated
Peace at Paris.
IRv Associated press

s,.. = lBy Associated Prcssl
wASH1NGTON, Sept ll.-Rc jec; ion
OF the peace treaty with its league OF
nations covenant. or adoption of
amendments would mean sacrifice by
the United States of all concessions
obtained from Germany under a die
tatcd peace, minority members Of the
Foreign relations Committee declared
Senate.
,,; ;ths report. prepared by Senator
democratic member OF the committee,
urged speedy ratification of the treaty
without VI, nc amen .., OF reservations
sary delay to which the treaty mas
been subjected while locked up in
lions were from the start foregonc
conclusion. and asserted these
commendations could have been made
III July.
Senator Shields. Democrat. Tennes
see. did not sign the report. having
announced that he favored league Gov
cnant reservations prepared by Chair
man Lodge. IL was stated that he
you'd not present separate report.
Hitcncock we're Senators Williams,
mississippi; swanson. Virginia.: Pom
creme, Ohio; Smith. arizona and Pitt
man. Nevada. all Democrats.
Denies Lodges Statements.
The minority denied the claim pu,
forth in Chairman Lodges report that
the peace conference still WAS in ses-
sion and has power Ito bring German
representatives to Paris" saying sucn
power OF compulsion had been OK
,,ioisa =, and mat Germany mad s.i
ratifying"
II an amended treaty is not signed
ny Germany the report added. then
her
The report mentioned twelve con-
cess ons the United states would lose
by failure TO ratiiy the treaty. these
including industrial and economic ad-
Nantagcs and agreements.
Reservations proposed by tho ma
Jor,iy. the report said. were FOR the
parpose o: Destroying the, league"
wide criticism and unlimited attack
The minority urged that the work OF
ne peace conference be confirmed and
the peace OF the world advanced by
ratification OF The treaty described as
;he best hope 81 the world even II
G.vinely perfect in every detail"
Industrial World in t'crment.
Tno report contended tina, the indus
trial world was lin fcrmcnt" the finan-
Sial world IN doubt and commerce
been caused by the majority o, a com.
mittce known TO be out % harmony
with the majority OF the Senate and
the majority OF the people"
This was declared TO be government
By obstruction as well as by minority.
Export trade. the report said. had
fcation, that private credit waited for
peace. and that this government. which
governments. has about reached the
end OF its authority given II by Con-
Gress
Private enterprise. it said. from no~
ON must keep up American comncEc.
with Europe Answering the majority.
the rcpor, sad exports 20 Germany
- cents worth o: American products
Tor each person N Germany. or cents
per person per month.
referring 10 the action o, the ma
jority Of the committee" said the re-
port we unite in opposing and con.
dcmnins th- recommendations both as
10 tcStual amendments and as TO pro-
poscd reservations. AS far as the pro-
posed tcNtual amendments are con.
their character at length. In our
opinion they have no mcri; bu,
feren; their adoption hy the Senate
can have no possible effect except to
defeat the participation OF the United
even by the great nations associated
. with the United states in the war. and
he dictated TO Germany. To adopt any
one OF them. therefore. is equivalent
10 rejecting the treaty.
Ftnni Action IIns Been Taken.
The suggestion OF the majority re-
nor, that the peace conference is sim
in session III Paris and could consider
any textual anne ndments TO the treaty
made by the Senate. and that German
representatives could be brought to
Paris for that purpose. indicates total
misconception Of the situation. The
peace conference has acted finally upon
Great Britain has ratified It. France
is aoout 70 do so. and with the action
probability be in actual operation even
before the Senate Of the United Stats
reaches decision. Moreover. the peace
MN f,,et
70 bring German representatives t.
Paris The power Of conpuls;on has
6een e ,a German; vas told
when to ratity. and Germany has
closed the caapter by signing, and by
p.l!cd to do anything more or differ
ent with regard to this treaty by be-
ing confrontea with an amended treaty
There must be a tinali;v IL ultimate
in treaty by compulsion II an
amended treaty. is. not signed by Ger
many then it is in none of its parts
binding on her.
Mems Sacrifice of Concessions.
TO adopt an amendment or to re-
tect the treaty means that the United
states VIII sacrifice all OF the conces-
sions secured from Germany by q die
tatcd. peace: While these concessions
are not SO large as those which other
rcparations. they are. nevertheless OF
tremendous Importance and could only
, ne secured under Il dictated peace.
Among the concessions which the
United States would sacrifice may be
included the following:
First. Gcrmany's acknowledgment
promise to make restitution for dam,
ages resulting from it.
Second. Germany's promise to us in
the treaty that she will not impose
higher or other customs duties or
charges on our goods than those
charged to the most favored nations
an u tr;, ~.
Griminate against imports directly q!
indirectly f:sm our country
Third. Germany's promise to us in
the treaty that she will make, no dis
elimination in German ports on ship
ping bearing our flag and that our
shipping In German ports will be given
as favorable treatment as German
ships receive.
Important Tnrin Provision