The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1919-10-03
Leaders In Forty States, Re-
CARELESS of Party, Sign
Ringing Appeal
TREATY WITHOUT AMENDMENT
Say Every Day OF Delay Puts World
In Imminent Peril OF New War.
Point To National
Unrest

New Xork.-(Spec1al.)-- 1.-TWO hundred
and fftK leading Americans, Repub-
licans and Democrats representing for
ty different states and every prominent
activity have joined In q non-partisan
effort to bring about the ratification
of the Peace Treaty without amend
ment and without delay" Their names
are attached to an address to the
United States Senate, which was made
public today, through the League to
Enforce Peace, after it had been sent
to every member of the Senate.
The signers, almost without excep-
tion, are men and women of national
reputation. They include such promi-
n&nt citizens as exsPresident Taft,
George w. Wickersham, Attorney Gen.
eYal in the last Republican administers
Zion; A. Lawrence Lowell, president OF
harvard Charles c. Moore, of San
Francisco, president of the Panama
! Exposition; Judge George Gray. of
Wilmington, Del; President Samuel
Gompers, of the American Federation
(. Of Labor; Harry A. Wheeler, of Chica-
90, retiring president of the Chamber
Of Commerce of the Omitted States;
Mrs. Carrie Chapman Catt president
Of the National American Woman SUI
frage Association; Cyrus H. X. Curtis,
the Philadelphia publisher; President
Hsrber ]. Grant, of the Mormon
Church, and Spargo, leader of the So
Nacialists, who supported the war.
The signers declare that every day
kof delay in ratnying the treaty puts
the world in imminent peril of new
war"
Their statement follows
In the Senate at Washington, now
that the committee on foreign rela.
tions has reported the treaty, the lines
are sharply drawn between the imme-
diate ratification of the treaty Of peace
Awith Germany, and its amendment with
b reassembling OF the conference and
3 reopening of negotiations that would
bring great delay and prolonged I'M
certainty in settling the great issues OF
the peace No partisan plea can be
lnade. Party lines are already broken.
Standing at q distance from the
conflict In the Senate chamber, we
plead for immediate ratification with
out delay. Our land requires it. A
state OF nervous strain, tension and
unrest exists manieesting itself in dis
turbances, which in some cases have
no self evident connection with the
= war; but which are, in fact, its after.
math. The world is put in imminent
peril OF new wars by the lapse of each
day. Discussions between us and our
: former allies are being sown. We firmly
&belieye and solemnly declare that the
states and cities in which we dwell
esire immediate peace.
1.-THE waging of war steadied and
hited the American people. Peace
IN bring prosperity, ard prosperity
torltent. Delay in the Senate post
poJhing ratification in this. uncertain
period of neither peace nor war has
RESULTED in INDIGESTION and doubt. bred
strife and quickened the cupidity Of
those who sell the daily necessities
OF life and the fears of those whose
daily wage no longer fills the daily
market basket.
We beseech the Senate to give the
land peace and certainty by ratifica-
ti9n which will not keep us longer in
the shadows of possible wars, but give
the whole world the light of peace.
Reservations in the nature of clarif-
cations in the meaning of the treaty.
not inconsistent with it's terms, will
uet require the reopening of the ne.
gotiations with Germany and with our
associates in the war, which we all
and each united to win.
But there is no possibility OF doubt
that amendment Of the treaty, as is
now proposed in the Senate Commit
tee on Foreign Relations, would re-
uuire negotiation and reopening OF
all the questions decided at Paris.
Months Of delay would follow The
periis Of the present would become
The deadly dangers Of the near future.
All the doubt engendered would aid
the plots for violent revolution in this
ana other lands. The issues here and
elsewhere between capital and labor
the conspiracy Of epeculator and prof
lteer would all grow ana become more
perilous.
This cannot be. The American peo-
pie cannot. after victorious war
permit Its government to petition Ger
many. which has accepted the treaty,
for Its consent to changes in the treaty.
Yet u the United States should amend
the treaty for its own purpose and
policy. Germany would have full right
10 ask for CONCESSIONS. Germany has
agreed to make no claim In regard tc
enemy property seized in this country
10 an amount Of seven hundred mil
HON dollars. Our recent foe could ask
for q reopeniag Of this issue and pf
the Lusitania claims. 1t could raies