Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1919-09-03
'KILLPACT'IS
HELD aim OF
SENATE BODY
Senator Hitchcock AS
sails Foreign Relation
Committees Acts.

Washington, Sept. 3.-Declaring
the real purpose of the foreign re-
, latiOns committee majority in
amending the peace treaty was 10
kill the treaty entirely and that
such a course would be suicidal to
the United States, Senator Hitch
cock of Nebraska, Democratic
, leader, asserted in a senate speech
today that a majority of the sena-
tors never would accept any of the
committee changes.
The treaty opponents, he said,
/ crawl on the ground with micro
scopes searching for pitfalls" in
the League of Nations and overlook
substantial benefits which the
treaty would bring the nation. The
proposal of Senator Knox, Repub-
Iican, Pennsylvania that the
treaty be rejected and a separate
| peace made with Germany, was
characterized by the speaker as an
insane mixture of poltroonery and
folly"
Suppose the senate should vote
in favor of the Shantung amend
ment or any other" said the sena-
tor. what would happen?"
Either the president would re-
fuse to go further with the treaty
or he would submit the amend
ment to the nations associated with
the United States. Does anyone
believe they would accept it?
Il cannot conceive of any inteI1i-
gent and candid man who would
assume such action as a possibility
We would be met by an instant
refusal to accept the amendment
We would find ourselves out in the
cold, isolated from the rest OF the
world. The work OF ratifying the
treaty would proceed without the
United States.
Separate Peace Lets Huns Out
What then will the United
States do? Some say that con-
gress can pass a joint resolution
declaring a state of peace with
Germany. Others say the United
States can negotiate a separate and
Independent treaty. Those who
talk this way evidently have no
conception of the enormous bene-
fits which the United States de-
rives from this treaty
I'm article 231. Germany is COM
PEELED to accept full responsibility
for the damages caused by the war.
Does anyone think if we undertook
to negotiate a separate treaty with
Germany, Germany would make
any such concessions to the United
States? Germany might say she
United States: that it was the Unit
ed States which forced war upon
her.
Take the matter of German
property in the United States. I'm
der this treaty all acts OF the Unit
ed States and of the alien property
custodian, with regard to that
property are validated unless Ger
many can show actual fraud. Is
anyone insane enough to suppose
that Germany will voluntarily
make that concession to US if we
lost the hold upon which this treaty
gives? Suppose Germany points to
the treaties of 1899 and 1928 IN
der which we agreed to respect the
private property of German nation
ais in the United States
ReparatiOns Body Important
This treaty creates a commits
sion called the reparations COM
mission. Unquestionably it will be
the most powerful international
body every created. It receives
from Germany all reparatiOns paid
and distributes them to the vari-
Gus nations Does anyone think
under the circumstances the Unit
ed States can afford not to have
representative on the reparatiOns
commission?
ITO my mind it would be suicid-
al to throw away the advantages
and benefits provided in this
treaty. It would be disastrous
commercially and financially.
Defeat of the treaty by means
of proposed amendments to it is
the real program and hope of the
majority of the committee on for
eign relations. They have felt JUS
tilted in retaining the treaty in
committee, holding useless hear
ings and making killing amend
ments with the full knowledge that
amendments would beat the treaty
Just as effectively as a refusal to
ratify.
Foes Ignore Advantages.
Those who conjure up these
possible disadvantages seem to ig-
more altogether the enormous ad-
vantages of organizing the world
for peace.
They make mountains out of
mole hills in reviewing difficulties
of the league plan. They crawl on
the ground with a miscroscope
searching for pitfalls and are un-
able to look forward to the prom
ised land of peace and other and
justice to which the new move
ment leads"