Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1919-09-06

pres dent Enterprise Institute; Hon.
Adclhcrt II. Roberts and Rev. John
r. Thomas, pastor Of Ebcnczer Bapt.
list Church. Tho evening was an cn
iovahlc one and large number were
present.
KNOX DENOUNCES TREATY AS
NiiiNE HARD AND CHuEL.
Declares America Should Refuse TO
.. DC Party TO Alleged Oppressive
Compact.
MEANS MORE BLOODSHED.
Pennsylvania Makes Plea for Ger
many, Saying United States Should
BE No Guarantor of Enforcement
OF Harsh Conditions
Washington, August 29--Dcclar-
ing that the peace treaty cannot be
enforced but will lay the foundation
for centuries of blood letting" Scna
tor Knox of Pennsylvania, Rcpubli
can member Of the Foreign Rotations
Committee and former Secretary of
State, told the Senate today that the
United States should decline to be
come a party to the settlement effect
cd at Versailles and should negotiate
separate peace with Germany.
In it's "hard and cruel TERMS. he
asserted, the treaty imposed on Ger.
many penalties which violate inter-
national law and cngendor strife. He
declared there was no reason why
the United States should project it
self into tht dangers Of such Situa
ton.
"rhe more l consider this treaty"
sad Mr.. Knox, the more l am con
WINGED that the only safe way for us
TO deal with it is to decline to be n
party to it at all
SHOULD RuGNOUNCE ALL CLAIMS
Il think we should rcnOuncc in
favor Of Germany any and all claims
for indemnity because Of the war
and sec that she gets credit for what
we renounce. We ought TO rcnounce
all participation or membership in
-
otherwhe. provided for in the treaty
in aid Of it's execution to which by
its terms we arc parties. We ought
not to accept ccssions Of German
tern itory. We ought to declare gen
eral policy to regard with concern
any threat OF disturbance of general
world peace, but at the same time
we should reserve complete liberty
OF action either Independently or in
conjunction with other powers in talk
ing such steps as we determine wise
for preserving the peace.
1--WE ought then to carry out the
spirit of the act of 1916 which au
thoriZed the President to convene the
nations Of fhe world together to cs
tahlish Il code of International law,
reduce ornaments to establish an in
ternational tribunal and go as far as
possible in the direction of securing
peace through justice through u
league to which all the world are
parties in its formation.
WOULD BE A DIGNIFIED EXIT.
"This would be fitting, generous
and dignified exit from situation
in which, primarily we had no direct
concern.
IT is indeed a hard and Lluel
peace that this treaty stipulates and
have no objections to its being so,
but see no reason why we who do
not partake in it's spoils should be
come parties to it's !harshncss and
cruelty.
l see no reason why we should be
parties to imposing upon Germany a
treaty whose terms our negotiators
say she will not be able to meet; n
treaty that robs our ancient friend,
China in way disapproved by our
negotiators; a treaty that lays the
foundation for centuries Of blood let
ting, into which we should not be
drawn; treaty that, contrary to our
own Judgment, fails to fix the amount
Of indemnity to be paid, leaving that
vast qeustion to the whim of a major
ity Of commission on reparations;
treaty predicated upon the asser
ton that stricken and helpless
world requires our counsel and sup
port but leaves to the beneficiariers
the decision as to the measure and
character Of the benefactions they
are to receive; treaty that, with
ominous words presages our involve
mcnt in the eruptions Of suppressed
volcanic world conditions, treaty
that would require us to underwrite
all the regional understandings be.
tween nations recognized by the
league, most Of which are based up
on oppression of weaker nations,
many OF which are as yet secret and
undisclosed and when disclosed might
drive us to acts OF injustice similar
to that in which the President felt
himself compelled to acquiesce in the
case Of Shantung"
SHOULD MAKE OWN PEACE
STATUS.
Senator Knox said a state Of peace
actually would be established in the