The patriot. [volume] (Indiana, Pa.) 1914-1955, 1919-09-20
Leaders in Forty States, Re-
gardleSs of Party, Sign
Ringing Appeal.
PACT WITHOUT AMENDMENT
Say Every Day of Delay Puts
World in Imminent Peril of
New Mar-Point to
National Unrest

New York Especial. Two hundred
and fifty leading Americans, Repub-
Hcans and Democrats representing for
" different states and every prominent
activity have joined in a non-partisan
effort to bring about the ratification
Of the Peace Treaty without amend
rlent and without delay" Their names
are attached to an address to the
United States senate, which was made
public today through the League to
Enforce Peace, after it had been sent
to every member Of the senate.
The signers, almost without excep-
ton. are men and women Of national
reputation. They include such promi-
nent citizens as ex-President Taft,
George w. Wickersham, Attorney Gen
eral in the last Republican administra-
ton; A. Lawrence Lowell, president OF
Harvard; Charles c. Moore of San
Francisco, president of the Panama
Exposition; Judge George Gray of Will
mington, Del; President Samuel Com
pers of the American Federation of
Labor, Harry A. Wheeler Of Chicago,
retiring president of the Chamber Of
Commerce of the United States; Mrs.
Carrie Chapman Gait, president of the
National American Woman Suffrage
Association; Cyrus H. K Curtis, the
Philadelphia publisher: President He
Der ]. Grant Of the Mormon Church,
and Sparg0, leader of the Socialists
who supported the war.
The signers declare that every day
Of delay in ratifying the treaty puts
the world in Imminent peril of now
war"
Their statement follows:
In the senate at Washington, now
that the committee on foreign rela-
fions has reported the treaty, the lines
are sharply drawn between the imme-
date ratification of the treaty Of peace
with Germany, and its amendment with
a reassembling of the conference and
a reopening Of negotiations that would
bring great delay and prolong un-
certainty in settling the great issues of
the peace. No partisan plea can be
made Party lines are already broken.
Standing at a distance from the
conflict in the senate chamber, We
plead for immediate ratification with
out delay Our land requires it. a
state Of nervous strain, tension and
unrest exists, manifests itself in dis
turbances, which in some cases have
no self evident connection with the
war but which are, in fact, its after
math. The world is put in imminent
peril of new wars by the lapse of each
day. Discussions between US and our
former allies are being sown We
firmly believe and solemnly declare
that the states and cities in which we
dwell desire immediate peace.
The waging of war steadied and
united the American people. Peace
will bring prosperity and prosperity
content. Delay in the senate postpon-
ing ratification in this uncertain period
of neither peace nor war has resulted
IN indecision and doubt, bred strife and
quickened the cupidity of those who
sell the daily necessities of life and
the fears of those whose daily wage
no longer fills the daily market basket
We beseech the senate to give the
land peace and certainty by ratifica-
tion which will not keep us longer in
the shadows of possible wars, but give
the whole world the light of peace
| ReaeTvations in the nature Of clarifi.
cations in the meaning Of the treaty
not inconsistent with its terms will
not require the reopening of the ne
gotiatiens with Germany and with our
associates in the war; which we all
| and each united to win.
/ But there is no possibility of doubt
that amendment of the treaty, as is
now proposed in the Senate Commit
tee on Foreign Relations, would re
quire negotiation and reopening of
all the questions decided at Paris
Months of delay would follow. The
peFils Of the present would become
the deadly dangers Of the near future.
All the doubt engendered would aid
the plots for violent revolution in this
and other lands. The issues here and
elsewhere between capital and labor.
the conspiracy Of speculator and prof.
iteer would all grow and become more
perilous.
This cannot be- The American peo-
pie cannot, after a victorious war
permit its government to petition Ger
many, which has accepted the treaty,
for its consent to changes in the trea-
ty. Yet IL the United States should
amend the treaty for its own purpose
and policy, Germany would have full
right to ask for concessions. Ger
many has agreed to make no claim in
regard to enemy property seized in
this country to an amount of seven
hundred million. dollars. Our recent
foe could ask for a reopening of this
issue and of the Lusitania claims It
could raise every question open be
fore hOstilities in regard to submarine
wSrfaTe and the treatment of its na-
tionals in this country All the pro-
visions for our trade in Germany
raised by the economic clauses of the
- II