The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1919-09-10
GET THE TREATY



Continued from Page one.l
length with criticisms of delay and
points out that whereas the peace con-
| ference took six months to agree in
the treaty. the senate foreign relations
committee has had forty-seven work
ing days.
Demands for speed "in the most i'm
portant subject that ever came be-
fore the senate OF the United States"
the report says. were largely the
work of the administration and its
! newspaper organs"
A second artificial" demand for
haste. the report says, came from
certain great banking firms which
had direct pecuniary interest in Sc
curing en- early opportunity to reap
the harvest in the adjustment of
financial obligations Of the warning
countries.
Charge Information Held Back.
Recalling the senate's responsibility
as equal with the presidents, the re-
port recounts at some length the diff
ficulties the foreign relations commit
tee experienced in getting information
on the treaty being obliged to send to
Paris for maps, being compelled to get
Imperfect information from press re-
ports" and having at its disposal few
official documents.
Others Haven't Ratified.
While criticism for delay has been
aimed at the foreign relations commit
tee the report points out no action has
been taken by France, Japan or ItaIv.
The argument that the treaty speed
ily should he ratified that trading with
Germany might begin. the report dis
misses as rather faded and declares
the United States has been trading
with Germany since the signing of the
armistice in increasing volume. The
statement that trade cannot be re-
sumed until the treaty is ratified is
characterized as a mere delusion."
League and H. c. L.
Before leaving this subject" says
the report, 1t may not be amisS to
remark that Mr.. Lloyd George has re-
Gently made two important speeches
expressing grave apprehensions as to
the social and political unrest and
the economic troubles now prevalent
in England. He seems to have failed
to point out. however. that the ratifi-
cation OF the covenant of the League
of Nations by Great Britain had re-
lieved the situation which he had de-
scribed. He was apparently equally
remiss in emitting to suggest that
prompt action by the senate of the
United States in adopting the cove
nant OF the League of Nations would
Immediately lower the price of beef
THE first amendment offered by
the committee relates to the league.
1t Is proposed so to amend the text
as to secure for the United States a
vote in the assembly of the league
equal to that of any other power.
Great Britain now has, under the
name of the British empire, one vote
in the council OF the league. She has
four additional votes in the assembly
of the league for her self-governing
dominions and colonies. which are
most properly members OF the league
and signatoFies t o the treaty. She
also has the vote Of India, which is
neither a self-governing dominion nor
colony, but merely a part of the
empire and which apparently was sim
ply put in as a signatory and mem
Der of the league by the peace con-
ference because of the kingdom of
Hejaz and of Persia. With these last
two, OF course. we have nothing to do.
But II Great Britain has six votes in
the league assembly. no reason has
occurred to the committee and no
argument had been made to show why
the United States should not have an
equal number.
Won't Sanction Wrong"
Amendments SO and A., inclusive.
transfer to China the German lease
and rights, II they exist, in the Chi
nese province OF Shantung, which are
given by the treaty to Japan. The
majority Of the committee were not
willing to have their votes recorded
at any stage in the proceedings in
favor of the contamination OF what
they consider great wrong. They
cannot assent to taking the property
of a faithful ally and handing it over
to another ally in fulfillment of a bar
gain made by other powers In a secret
treaty. 1t is record which they are
not willing to present to their fellow
citizens or leave behind them for the
contemplation of their children.
Amendment No. 2 IS simply to pro-
vide that where a member of the
League has self-governing dominions
and colonies which are also members
OF the League. the exclusion of the
shall cover the aggregate vote of the
member of the league and its self
governing dominions and parts of en-
pire combined II any one of them is
involved in the controversy.
The remaining amendments with a
single exception, may be treated as
one, for the purpose OF all alike Is 10
relieve the United States from having
representatives on the commissions es-
tablished by the League which deals
with questions in which the United
States has and can have no interest
and in which the United States has
evidently been inserted by design. The
exception is amendment No. As. which
provides that the United States shall
have a member OF the re paration COM
mission but that such commissioner of
the United STATES. except in the case
OF shipping where the interests of the
United States ere directly involved
cannot deal with or vote upon any
other questions before that commits
sion except under instructions from
the government Of the United States"