The Chattanooga news. [volume] (Chattanooga, Tenn.) 1891-1939, 1919-09-03
SUCH ACOURSE
ONLY SUICIDAL
Senator Hitchcock Declares
Majority Would Not Accept
Proposed Amendments. +
BENEFITS OVERLOOKED
While Opponents Search for
Pitfalls-Separate Peace
Suggestion Insane"


the real purpose OF the foreign rela-
lions committee majority in amend
ing the peace treaty was to kill the
treaty entirely and that such a course
would be suicidal to the United
States, Senator Hitchcock, of Me-
braska, democratic leader. asserted
in senate speech today that the ma
jority Of the senators never would
accept any OF the committee changes.
The treaty opponents, he said,
crawl on the ground with a micro
scope searching for pitfalls" In the
league of nations and overlook SUBJ
stantial benefits which the treaty
would bring the nation. The proposal
of Senator Knox. republican, of Penn
sylvania, that the treaty be rejected
and a separate peace made with
Germany was characterized by the
speaker as an insane mixture of poll
troonery and folly"
by a vote of Q to s." said Senator
Hitchcock. "the committee on foreign
relations Is to bring squarely before
the senate the question of defeating
the pending treaty. SUPPOSE the sem
ate should vote in favor Of the Shan
tung amendment or any other. What
wVuud happen? IN
EITHER the president would refuse
to go further with the treaty or he
would submit the amendment to the
nations associated with the United
States. Does anyone believe they
would accept 1t? Does anyone be-
lleve that Great Britain, who has al
ready ratified the treaty and Is also
under a pledge to Japan with regard
10 Shantung, would accept the sham
tung amendment? Does anyone think
that France, also under pledge 70
Japan, would ratify this changeg
Does anyone supposeSthat Japan ner~
SER would snbmlt 10 this nu1niiiaAton
perore the eyes or the worldr'
Find Ourselves Isolated,
! II cannot conceive of any intelli-
gent and candid man who would 49,
sumo such a thing as a possibility.
We would he met by an instant re-
fusal to accept the amendment, and
then where would the United States
find itself in this international set
tlement? We would find ourselves
out In the cold, isolated from the rest
of the world. The work OF ratifying
the treaty would proceed without us.
THE treaty itself provides that
when three nations in addition to
Germany have signed, 1t shall 60 into
effect. It Is easy to see the enor-
nous benefits which Great Britain
and France will derive from this
treaty. They will not take any
chances. It is preposterous to sun
pose that japan will delay its rati
fication. The result is beyond al
question.
.,,
T..
do? Some say that congress can
pass a Joint resolution declaring .
state of peace with GERMANY Othe,S
saw the United States can negotiate
a sen.rata ana irodnorden+ troot,
ri, -, 90 ~. ~, t,ea.s
l nose VINO talK thls way eVioentiy
nave no conception or the enormous
benefits which the United States de-
rives from this treaty.
an Article CCXXXI Germany is
comneIled to accent FIJI resnonsibilitv
fo,, ~ d,r,or,os, l,,,s,a ~ a. 49,,
pao,, 80 90 ~ Iou,s,.
Does any one lhlnk' II we unueFtooK
TO negotiate a separate treaty with
Germany, Germany would make any
such concessions to the United
States? Germany might saw she had
ro,,ar dacIorod no., o. 49, J1u;tad
sitDel u ~. wal on ny o e,n
'.a' ~ was thc Clhle" o'"te9
"hiGn iorced war upon ner'
- W. -SSc ''o'N S'' Nv hioHJ'
Take the matter of German prop
erty in the United States, Under
this treaty all acts of the limited
states and NJ Tho aIien oustodioY W. ~
,.aoro,5 ~ .l,,o.t,, 80 nIas".sa
ioShIu ~ the property are Nailua.eu
unless Germany can snow actuai
fraud.
rs anyone insane enough to suppose
that Germany will voluntarily make
that concession to us If we lose the
hold upon her which this treaty gives?
Suppose Germany points to the treaties
OF 1893 and 1923 under which we agreed
to respect the private property of Ger
man nationals in the United States?
This treaty creates Il commission
called the reparations commission. I'M
questionably it will be the most power
fui international body ever created. 1t
receives from Germany all reparations
paid and distributes them to the varf-
GUS nations. Does anyone think under
the circumstances the United States
can AFFORD TO have a representative on
the Preparations commission?
Would Be Disastrous.
TO my nina II would be suicidal to
throw away the advantages and bene-
nus provided In this treaty. 1t would
be disastrous commercially and finan-