New-York tribune., 1919-07-26
The Great Fact

Senator Brandegee having asked the
important question as to what has become
Of the French treaty, resolution is be-
fore the Senate requesting the President
to submit it, if such action is deemed
compatible with the public interest
Article " of the instrument provides
for its transmittal with the peace treaty
with Germany and implies that the two
documents are to be considered together.
Here is the language:
"The present treaty will be submitted
to the Senate Of the United States at the
same time as the Treaty Of Versailles is
submitted to the Senate for its advice and
consent to ratification"
But after month the plain pledge is
still ignored. In Great Britain the House
of Commons considered and, ratified the
two treaties as one transaction, but here
there is a seeming purpose to separate
them. Why?
The French treaty Is of the highest
import. This may not now be clear to
all, for subtle attempts to confuse are
still made as to this and to other feat
ures Of the Paris settlement; but COM
mon sense and clear vision will ulti-
mately brush aside the evasion.
To call the French treaty the heart of
the league Of nations is not going too
far. 1t is the pillar that supports fut-
ure peace. 1t is framework without
which the spineless vines of the covenant
%o
grow.
How strong is the hope of future
peace? Obviously no stronger than the
mutual trust and confidence among the
United States, France and Great Brit
ain. If there is not union by them
there is no league of nations in any real
sense. The adhesion of other nations is
desirable, but the adhesion of each Of
these three nations is Indispensable.
This is a Great Fact contrived by no
nation. It simply is. 1t has grown out
of events. YOU may not like the condi-
ton, but neither your favor nor disfavor
has any bearing on its existence. Deny
it, but there it stands, just the same.
A hundred circumstances attest the
Great Fact. Suppose tomorrow infor-
nation comes that harmony among the
three is gone; suppose any one Of them
commits itself to building up an inter
national party aimed at either or both
the others; the weak bonds of the cove
nant would dissolve. The peace palace
at Geneva would become as melancholy
a structure as the peace palace at The
Hague.
What was the inner significance of
Fiume? That Italy might leave the fel
lowship and be forced to seek new allies
What was the bottom reason for yield
ing to Japan with respect to Shantung?
The apprehension that otherwise Japan
might ultimately Join coalition COM
manding the regions beyond the Rhine
and the Alps. This possibility sent q
shlver through the American delegation
Its members plead the possibility as ex
cuse for complaisance to minor wrong
The French treaty is no supplement tc
the covenant. 1t is the backbone of any
conceivable league of peace A man
who opposes or palters with an agree
ment for the concert of the three may
think ne is peace Lacquer, but he isn't
The President and the members Of the
peace delegation remaining at Paris anc
the Americans who have been led tc
give serious study to the international
situation may be presumed to be full,
aware Of the Great Fact. Why are no
the people told the plain truth plainly
Why was it announced from the Whit.
House yesterday that in contempt Of a,
agreement, the treaty would be with
held until there was a completion Of tn,
proposed "swing around the circlan?