The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1919-08-29
CRUELTY SHOWN
GERMAN PEOPLE
KNOX PROTESTS
United States Should Con-
clude Separate Peace, He
Tells Senate.
(By Associated Press)


WASHINGTON, Aug. 29.-Declaring
that the peace treaty cannot be en-
forced but will lay the foundation for
centuries of blood letting" Senator
Knox Of Pennsylvania, Republican
member of the Foreign Relations COM
mittee, and former secretary of state,
told the senate today that the United
States should decline to become a
party to the settlement effected at
Versailles and should negotiate a sep
arate peace with Germany.
In its hard and cruel" terms, he as,
serted the treaty imposed on Germany
penalties which violate international
law and engender strife He declared
there was no reason why the United
States should project itself into the
dangers of such a situation.
The more l consider this treaty."
said Mr. Knox, the more | am con-
vtnced that the only safe way for us to
deal with it is to decline to be a party
to it at all.
Would Rencunce Indemnity.
Il think we should renounce in fav
or of Germany any and all claims for
indemnity because of the war and see
that she gets credit for what we re-
nounce. We ought to renOunce all
participation or membership in COM
missions. committees, boards or other
wise provided for in the treaty in aid
or its execution to which by its terms
we are parties. We ought not to &C.
cept cessions of German territory
We ought to declare a general policy
TO regard with concern any threat Of
disturbance Of general world peace,
but 4 the same time we should re-
serve complete liberty of action either
independently or in conjunction with
other powers in taking such steps as
We determine wise for preserving the
peace.
I'VE ought then to carry out the
spirit of the Act Of 1916, which au-
thoriZed the president to convene the
nations of the world together to es-
tablish code of international law. re,
duce armaments, to establish an in
ternational tribunal and go as far as
possible in the direction of securing
peace through justice, through
league to which all the world are par
ties in its formation.
This would be a fitting, generous
and dignified exit from a situation in
which primarily we had no direct con
Germ. 1t is indeed a hard and cruel
peace that this treaty stipulates and
have no objections to it's being so.
but see no reason why we who do not
partake in it's spoils, should became
parties to its harshness and cruelty.
Sees Future Danger.
Il see no reason why We should be
parties to imposing upon Germany
treaty whose terms, our negotiators
say, she will not be able to meet; a
treaty that rohs our ancient friend,
China, in a way disapproved by our
negotlatOrS: a treaty that lays the
foundation for centuries Of blood-let-
ting into which we should not be
drawn, a treaty that, contrary to om
own judgment fails to fix the amount
of indemnity to be paid, leaving that
vast question to the Whim of a major
ity of commission on reparation, Il
treaty predicated on the assertion that
a stricken and helpless world REQUIRES
our counsel and support but leaves to
the hencticiarIcs the decision as to
the measure and character of the ben
efactiOns they are to receive; a treaty
that with OminOus words presages our
involvement in the eruptiCns Of sup
pressed volcanic world conditions; a
treaty that would require us to un-
derWTite all the regional understand.
ings between nations recognized by
upon 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 nim-
self compelled to asquiesce in the case
of Shantung."
Senator Knox said state Of peace
actually would be established in the
world as soon as three of the great
powers had ratified the treaty, and
that the United States should make
her own peace status complete by a
concurrent resolution of congress.
Declaring the foreign relations COM
mittee had tried in vain to get import
ant data relating to the treaty, the
senator said the people at last were
waking to the true issue as the facts
about the Versailles negotiations leak
ed out.