The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-09-08


execute new treaty with us. This we
cannot do without also beFwinr our own
allies 70 reopen negotiations with Ger
mSny, and to assemble their own par
haments (Which In the case Of England.
OK Belgium and Of some other States
have already approved the treaty., to
argue for perhaps further long months
over the proposed American alterations.
Close examination OF the points which
are styled as dangerous by those Sena-
tors who desire to amend the treaty falls
to disclose any perils Whatsoever. Pres
ident Wilson, in his meeting with the
Foreign Relations COMMITTEES on August
10. went with great care into those
points.
Why Reopen Question: He Asks.
why reopen the whole peace negotia-
tion7 Why let Europe go from bad to
worse while we are DISCUSSING a condi-
ton that does not exist and that was
mover even contemplated at Paris7 Minor
though these points at issue are there
is no reason why any one Of them should
not be brought up and, IL need be, clari-
ned at the initial meeting of the League
OF Nations in Washington next October.
We should appreciate that the covenant
Of the league Is not rigid but n mo-
bile instrument Hardly more than the
rough machinery for the workings OF a
Society of Free Nations was set up.
At Paris 1t was expected that the per-
lection of the instrument would take
years to bring about; that meantime
there would be almost constant changes
proposed and made.
"As to the main treaty, the clause
about Shantung is the only one exciting
controversy. Well, nobody likes that
clause--President Wilson, an he has
intimated, as little as any one. But 1t
Is one thing to dislike that clause and
another thing to bring about an imme-
date change In II. Japan drove the
Germans out of Shantung. and back in
the earlier days of the war. before
America had come in. at a time when
things were going badly and when
Japan's support was sorely needed
Great Britain and France promised
Japan, In response to her demand, that
so far as they were concerned Japan
should inherit Germany's position In
China.
Now when three years later the
question came up at Paris perhaps II
might have been possible for President
Wilson to say In effect to Mr.. Lloyd
George and Mr.. Clemenceau, You made
a poor bargain with Japan, and you
must tell her won't let you carry 1t
out But how could Mr.. Wilson have
actually taken such a position? Fortu-
nately his decision was rendered some
what less difficult by reason of the fact
that the Japanese delegation solemnly
and repeatedly stated its intention to
make early modification of the Shantung
settlement.
snaEs In shantung Matter.
IT myself believe that in this we must
rely upon two things: First, upon
Japans good faith, and, second-if that
should fail, which / can hardly con-
upon the effective workings
OF the League of Nations. But as to
Shantung, just how our Senate to-day
can by amendment to the treaty force
England and France to go back on their
agreement with Japan, and just how we
can say to Germany, who has accepted
the loss Of her position in China, that
we want her to withdraw that acceptance
and consider some new plan. 1t is i'm
possible to conceive. Meanwhile certain
Of our Senators continue grossly to
question the good faith of Japan. to
insult her and to render infinitely more
difficult the settlement OF other momen-
tous questions that have to do with the
whole future Of the Far East
'FInally, the treaty that was evolved
imposes Justly severe terms upon Ger
MANY. Those terms should be put into
erect at once. If they are not Ger
MANY will be able TO evade her oolt-
cations and the American people VIII In
every way suffer serious loss
Senator Knox declares hat those
t,rrs are so hard on Germany that the
whole treatey should be rejected. Does
he favor treating Germany in way
"a encourage her to start another war
Do he and those of his colleagues
who are trying to defeat this treaty
fpIret that it was Germany who plunger
the whole world into darkness and wne,
in n struggle that brought death TO at
least ten million beings. incapacity 10
twenty mIIlicn more; the breakdown
Of law and order; the wasting OF over
two hundred billion dollars OF trea'ure
and calamities from which the world
can hardly recover within hundred
The aim of the nations az
sembled at Paris was to draft n treaty
that was Just. but SO framed as to pre-
vent Germany or any other nation from
such crimes as these.
Initial Machinery Set Up.
ITO this end the treaty sets up the
initial machinery for League Of Free
Nations. The United States Senate
cannot null apart that machinery with