The Chattanooga news. [volume] (Chattanooga, Tenn.) 1891-1939, 1919-06-10
TREATY FIGHT BREAKS
OUT ANEW IN ]. s. SENATE
Promises to Speedily Head Up Issues Involved
Over League of Nations.
Knox Resolution Opposing Ratification Of Joint Treaty
and League Charter Arouses Storm and Finally
Was Referred Without Debate

senate today along lines which prom
ised speedily to head up the issue in
volved over the league of nations.
Immediately at the opening OF the
session Senator Knox, OF Pennsyl-
vania. republican, Of the foreign rela-
tions COMMITTEES and former secre-
tary of state, presented a resolution
OF far reaching proportions ltSpro-
poses to have the senate give official
notice to President Wilson and the
American peace mission at Paris that
ratification of the treaty is opposed in
it's present form, which has the league
covenant interviewer with the terms
OF settlement.
1t proposes that the peace treaty
shall be so drawn that the question
of a league of nations shall be re-
served for consideration by the peo
Of any nation without affecting Ger
many's obligations in the actual set
tlement of peace terms.
II proposes to have the senate de-
clare 1t the policy of the United States
government that should the peace and
freedom of Europe be again threat
ened by any power or combination of
powers the United States will regard
such situation as a menace to itself
and would pledge the United States,
IL necessary, to go to the defense of
civilization again.
The Knox resolution was referred
without debate ito the foreign rela-
tions committee and the storm for the
| day appeared to have passed over.
A fresh outbreak was threatened,
however, when Senator Pittman, DEM
ocrat, of Nevada, began reading
speech in favor of the league of ma
| tlons by former President Taft which
| previously had been denied unani- +
nous consent for insertion In the rec
ord on objection Of Senator Smoot, re-
! publican, OF Utah.
| The resolution was offered by SEN
ator Knox after a conference with
| Chairman Lodge, of the committee,
and there were evidences that IL would
! have the backing of most OF those who
| have conducted the fight against the
! league. 1t is understood to be de-
| signed as an official notice to the
peace conference that ratification oil
the treaty in its present form is OPP
| posed.
! The Knox resolution proposes that
"the treaty shall be so drawn as 10
! permit any nation to reserve withodr
| prejudice to itself for future separate
and full consideration by ~ people
| the question of any league of nations,
but that the obligations of Germany
and her belligerents under the
| treaty shall not be thereby affected.
Text of Resolution.
Washington, June l0.-7(A, P)--
The text of the resolution miro
duced today by Senator Knox is as
Whereas. the congress- OF the /.
+ United States. in declaring. ptlr-
suant to its exclusive authority
under the constitution, the exist
ence of a state of war between the
| United States and the imperial
German government, solemnly al
firmed, that the imperial govern,
ment has so committed repeated
acts of war against the government
and the people of the United states
that state of war had been thrust
upon them by that government ana
thereupon formally pledged the
| whole military and national re-
sources Of the country Ito bring the
conflict to a successful termination
and,
| Whereas. the senate of the United
| States, being co-equal part OF the
treaty making power OF thls gov
ernment and therefore co-equally
! responsible for any treaty when Is
concluded and ratified. is deeply
concerned over the draft treaty or
peaCe negotiated at Versailles by
! torious war and is graVely impressed
! by the fact that its provisions APP
pear calculated to force upon us
| undesirable and tar-reachlng cove
nants inimical to our free instltu-
| tions under the penalty that failing
! to accept these we shall continue
! in a state of war while our CO.
beligerents shall be at peace and
! ENJOYING its blessings; that 1t is
proposed to make us parties TO
league of nations under a plan as
to which the people of the United
States have had neither tine 10
examine and consider nor opportuh-
ity to express regarding 1t ma
tured and deliberate Judgment,
whereas the treaty may be easily
so drawn as to permit the making
of immediate peace, leaving lhe
! question of the establishment OF
league of nations for later deter
mnation; and that the treaty as
| drawn contains principles, guaran-
tees and undertakings oDllteratNe
! of legitimate race ana natlOnai as
| pirations oppressive Of weak ma
! tions and peoples and destructive OF
human progress and liberty; there
| fore be it
| Debt to Co 5ellgerents and Humanity
! Resolved by the senate of the United
states, that it will regard as fully
| adequate for our national needs and as
! completely responsive TO the duties ana
| obligations we owe to our co-belISer-
ents and to humanity, peace treaty
! which shall assure to the United States
| and its people the attainment of those
| ends for which We entered the war
| and that it will look with disfavor
upon all treaty provisions gong beyond
! those ends.
! United States have themselves deter
! mined and provided in their consttu-
! ton the only was IN ~hich the con
| stitution may be amended. ana since
;, u
one of the methods which the people
| have so prescribed the treaty making
power of the United states has no
! authority to make a treaty when IN
( effect amends the constitution OF the
/ United States. and the senate OF the
United states cannot advise and con
sent to any treaty provision Whlch
| would have such effect if enforced.
Separate and Full Consideration.
g. That the senate advises. in ac-
| Cordance with its constitutional right
| and duty, that the great paramount, II
not sole duty of the peace conference
is quickly to bring all the belllgerents
a fun and complete peace; that to
| this end the treaty shall be so drawn
as 10 permit any nation to reserve with
! out prejudice TO itself for future sepa-
rate aud toll consideration by its people
| the question OF any league Of nations,
that neither such an article nor the
/ exercise of the right reserved there
! under. whether at the time Of sigma
/ tue. the time of ratification, or at any
| other time, shall affect the substance
of the obligations OF Germany and its
co belligerents under the treaty, nor
! the validity OF signature and ratitiCa-
tion ON their behalf and that any in
dspensable participation by the United
/ states in matters covered by the
] league covenant shall, pending the en-
try OF the United States into the ,cague,
be accomplished through diplomatic
( commissions which shall be created
I with full power in the premises.
/ Limits U. S Obligations.
T. That this resolution indicates and
! gives notice Of the limits Of the pres.
| ent obligations against the United
! states IN which the senate Ot the
United States is now prepared 10 ac-
quiesce by consenting to the rattca-