The Liberal democrat. [volume] (Liberal, Kan.) 1911-1924, 1919-09-11

/ treaty and would not be slow to take
every advantage Of them. They
would resent our dessrtion.
"Up to this point, have discussed
the possible defeat Of the treaty by
means of the proposed amendments
to It. That 10 the real program and
hope of the majority Of the COM
mittee Of foreign relations. 1t is for
that purpose 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 committee, holding use
less hearings and making killing
amendments with the full knowledge
that amendments would beat the
treaty just as effectively as a refusal
to ratify.
"A few, a 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 Of
time and a number of speeches III
which his attack on the treaty has
been on account of Article /, which
contains the League Of Nations, he
now takes a new position which for
merly favored. taking the League Of
Nations out of the treaty and rati-
flying the peace settlement with Ger
many. Now he suddenly 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 proposed? 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 Ger
many from all promises Of indemin-
tiles and reparations.
"Why not go further and propose
that we compensate Germany? That
would be a still stronger appeal to
German sentiment"
Senator Hitchcock said that he had
full faith that the treaty would re-
ceive different threatment in the SEN
ate than it has in the foreign relations
committee. "In the senate" he said,
there are few men who favor de-
sorting the cause Of civilization until
the victory in the field has been rem
dered permanent by a peace settle
ment with ample guarantees. In the
senate are few senators who favor re-
leasing Germany from all RESPONSE
bility for the war, few senator's 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 ablest speeches that
has been made In the senate for the
ratification Of the treaty without
amendment, senator Hitchcock said:
81 cannot close without a few words
on the League of Nations feature Of
the treaty, which has been so persis-
tently and unreasonably attacked in
this chamber, To most Of these at
tacks l have listened They have var
led somewhat, but they all have one.
characteristic In common-a tremen-'
dous exaggeration Of possible disad-
vantages to this country.
"Those who conjure up these pos.
sible disadvantages seem to ignore al
together the enormous advantages Of
organizing the world for peace. They
appear to have lost sight Of the hor-
rors, evils, and dangers of war while
in the contemplation of possible dis
advantages under the league of ma
ton. They make mountains out of
molehills in reviewing difficulties in
the league plan. They are suspicious
that while it may benefit every other
nation on earth It Is so devised as to
bring disaster to the United States
They crawl upon the ground with a
microscope searching for pitfalls and
are unable to look forward to the
promised land Of peace and order and
justice to which the new movement
leads."