Charlevoix county herald. (East Jordan, Mich.) 189?-1953, 1919-06-13
PEACE PRACTICABLE
WITH LEAGUE REJECTED

Washington, June 10th.-The Repub-
lican Publicity Association, through its
President, Hon. Jonathan Bourns, Jr.,
today gave out the following statement
from its Washington Headquarters:
"The friends of the league of nations
take the position that the defeat OF the
league covenant, or any amendment to
it or other parts of the treaty, would
constitute new treaty, requiring the
signatures of all the nations that sub
scribed to the original document. They
claim deadlock would prevail mean
while, and peace would be impossible
until the assent of the thirty-two states
to the new treaty could be obtained.
Senator Hitchcock, former chairman of
the Foreign Relations Committee, states
his contention as follows:
Such amended treaty is a new
treaty, whether it strikes out the league
OF nations or whether it amends the
league of nations provision. II could
not possibly 90 into effect until all of
the nations party to the treaty accept
ed the amendment. If one refused to
accept it that would produce a dead
lock and make peace impossible. For
all to accept any Senate amendments,
even if it were possible, would require
long period of time and that would
greatly delay the advent of peace.
"Of course, SO far as the treaty itself
is concerned, the allied nations are free
to make such terms of peace with Ger
many as each may see fit, unless they
are bound by undertakings among
themselves not to conclude a separate
peace. The United States, for instance
can conclude peace with Germany on.
any basis she may adopt, quite regard
less of the actions OF the allies or any
one of them. The treaty is only be-
tween ourselves and the Germans.
"The inclusion of the league coven-
ant in the treaty presents a complica-
tion that involves all of the allied bel
ligerants. II that covenant is amended
il is probably true, as Mr.. Hitchcock as
serts, that before il would have any
binding force the changes would have
to receive the endorsement of the other
parties to. the undertaking. Amend
ment OF the covenant, therefore, might
be attended with prolonged delays in
the final consummation of peace. But
no such difficulties are in the way of
the defeat of the undertaking.
"The league of nations is the pet per-
sonal hobby of Mr.. Wilson, and is so re-
garded by the delegates of the other
powers in Paris. They care little for it
and will be quick to repudiate it once
il has been rejected by the United
States Senate. 1t is said by those in
touch with the situation in Paris that
the defeat of the league by the Senate
is anticipated by the other nations, and
that their course of action in that event
is already mapped out. With the peace
treaty relieved of the encumbrance of
the league il will be simple matter to
achieve peace; in fact, there is not the
slightest doubt that the leagues defeat
would bring peace to the world months
before it would come were the coven-
ant to be amended.
"The essentials of the treaty itself
have already been determined upon.
In his desperate attempt to tie the
league and treaty together Mr.. Wilson
referred some of the details of the
treaty to the leagues council for de-
termination. But it would be simple
matter to provide another idstrumen-
tality, for such determination; in fact, it
is probable that the changes that the
leagues defeat would necessitate in
the treaty are now reposing in the files
of the peace conference, ready for in
sertion the moment the Senate has de-
creed the death of the covenant. Each
allied nation, including the United
States, could make those alterations at
once, and present the practically iden-
tical treaties to Germany for signature,
each supported in its demands by all
the others. The process is perfectly
simple one, and the reconvening Of the
peace congress is not required at all. y"
II n r. n n