Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1919-03-19
Lenroot Says Club Being Held
Over Head Of Senate by
Wilson Is Stuffed With
Nothing out Straw,
FORMAL TREATY OF ..
PEACE UNNECESSARY
u, S, Can Declare War Ended
and Go About Business
Leaving League of Nations
to Be Settled Later,
tsv MORNING JOURNAL SPECIAL ,.sso w,ss,

Washington, March 1S.--If Presi-
peace treaty satisfactory to the sem
ate Senator Lenroot of Wisconsin,
republican, said in an address on the
league of nations before the Wash
ington Commercial club here tonight,
congress may pass joint resolution
summarily ending the war with Ger
many without treaty, leaving Amer
lean participation in the league of
nations to future determination.
Senator Lenroot declared he ia
vored the general plan of the league
as proposed, but would not be coerc-
ed into voting for the constitution as
now drawn without amendment
Asserting that the United States to-
day is in "a most critical situation
with American principles and ideals
endangered by the plans for the
league, Senator Lenroot continued:
I'VE are told that the president will
not permit peace with Germany un-
less there is made as part of the
peace treaty the constitution of the
league as drawn in large part by
Great britain. We are told that this
will he done to force the senate to
accept without amendment this Brit
ish constitution, revolutioniZing our
government and its foreign and do
mestic policies. In other words, the
senate is to be coerced to do some
thing which it otherwise would not
do, and public opinion in America is
thus to be coerced into demanding
ratification.
viii Not BE Cocrccd.
"In my judgment President Wilson
has once more misjudged the temper
of the American people and the sem
ate. | will not be coerced into voting
for the constitution of the league and
am sure the senate will not be. The
proposed constitution will be consid-
cred upon it's merits regardless of
whether it is coupled with the peace
treaty.
'If the constitution should not be
amended to safeguard and protect
the interests of the United States the
senate will propose such amendments
as it may deem necessary"
Senator Lenroot fsaid
"The proposed club over the SEN
ate of postponing peace is stuffed
with straw" adding:
ut does not seem to have oc-
CURED to the president that II he Is
not willing to negotiate a treaty of
peace satisfactory to the American
people, congress may itself, and nm
doubtedly will, pass a joint resolu-
tion declaring the war with Germany
terminated. The constitution clothes
congress with the power of declaring
war, and the body that Is given this
power unquestionably has the power
to terminate war.
Treaty Not Necessary.
Germany is whipped. We are
asking for no annexation, no indemni-
ties. We have accomplished the pur-
pose we had when we declared war,
and while it would be desirable to
have formal treaty OF peace with
Germany, 1t is not necessary.
I'VE can declare the war has end
ed and go on about our business, and
I confidently predict that this is
what will be done if the treaty js not
ratified by the senate. The proposed
league of nations will then have to
be considered separately IL it lis con-
sidered at all BY this course the
United States will lose nothing, for
the obligations imposed upon us by
the proposed league far outweigh
any possible benefits coming to u.s."
The senator quoted from an ad
dress by President Wilson in 1914 in
which the executive sad
"We should not form alliances
with any nation in the world,' and
also from statement by former
British Ambassador Bryce commend
ing the senate for discouraging the
executive from schemes for foreign
and TO save the country
(the United States) from being en-
tangled with alliances, protectorates,
of all sorts beyond it's
own frontiers"