The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1919-09-04
HITCHCOCK SAYS
OPPONENTS MEAN
TO KILL TREATY
DECLARES IN SENATE THAT is
REAL PURPOSE or COMMIT
TEE MAJORITY
SCORES KNOX SEVERELY
Nebraskan Says Pennsylvania Senator's
Proposal That Peace Pact BE Rejected
Isa Mixture of Poltroonery and Folly
Opposition Fails TO See Enormous
Benefits to United States

Washington, Sept. 3.-Declaring the
real purpose of the foreign relations
committee majority in amending the
peace treaty was to kill the treaty en-
tirely and that such 4 course would be
suicidal to the United States Senator
Hitchcock of Nebraska, democratic
leader asserted in a senate speech to-
day that the majority of the senators
never would accept any of the commit
tee changes.
The treaty opponents, he said, crawl
on the ground with a microscope search
ing for pitfalls" in the League of Ma
tlons and overlook substantial benefits
which the treaty would bring the ma
ton. The proposal of Senator Knox, re-
publican. Pennsylvania, that the treaty
be rejected and a separate peace made
with Germany was characterized by
the speaker as an insane mixture OF
poltroonery and folly
'By vote of nine to eight said
Senator Hitchcock, the committee on
foreign relations is to bring squarely
before the senate the question of de-
feating the pending treaty. Suppose the
senate should vote in favor of the
Shantung amendment or any other?
What would happen?
EITHER the president would refuse to
20 further with the treaty, or he would
submit the amendment to the nations
associated with the United States. Does
anyone believe they would accept it?
Does anyone believe that Great Britain
who has already ratified the treaty ana
is also under pledge TO Japan WIN
,egard to Shantung, would accept the
anantung amendment? Does anyone
think that France also under pledge
TO Japan. would ratify this change?
Does anyone suppose that Japan herself
would submit to this humiliation be-
fore the eyes of the world?
Il cannot conceive of any intelligent
and candid man who would assume such
q thing as possibility. We would be
met NV an instant refusal to accept the
amendment and then where would the
United states find itself in this inter
national settlement? We would ma
ourselves out in the cold isolated from
the rest of the world The work of ratl'
fying the treaty would proceed without
US.
"The treaty itself provides that when
three nations in addition 10 Germany
have signed it shall 90 into effect II
Is easy to see the enormous beneilts
which Great Britain and France VIII
derive from this treaty. They Will not
take any chances. IT is preposterouS
to suppose that Japan will delay ltS
ratification. The result is beyond al
question.
Enormous Benefits to l. >.
what then will the United States do'
,:oroe say that congress can pass JONI
resolution declaring a state OF peace
with Germany. Others say the uniteC
States can negotiate separate ana IN
dcpendent treaty. Those who talk TINS
v,v evidently have no conception OF th'
.normous benefits which the unltet
states derives from this treaty.
I'm Article 23l, Germany is compel
ed 10 accept full responsibility for the
damages cauesd by the war. Does any
one think if we undertook to negotiate
a separate treaty with Germany tina
Germany would make any such con
c. ,lons to the United States? Ger
many might say she had never de
clared war on the United States; tha
ii was the United States which 1orce'
war upon her.
"Take the matter Of German property
in the United States. Under this treaty
al acts Of the United states and of th'
alien property custodian with regard L
that property are validated unless Ger
many can show actual fraud. Is any
one insane enough to suppose that Ger
many will voluntarily make that conces
sion 10 us If We lose the hold upon he'
which this treaty gives!'
Suppose Germany points to the trea
ties of 1879 and 1928 under which W.
agreed to respect the private propert!
of German nationals in the Unite
states
"rhis treaty creates a commission
called the reparations commission. un
ouestionablv it will be the most power
full international body ever created. !
receives from Germany all reparation
paid and distributes them to the va
rious nations. Does anyone think un
der the circumstances the United state
can afford not to have representative
on the reparatlons commission?
ITO my mind it would be suicidal t
throw away the advantages ard benefit
provided in this treaty. 1t would b
disastrous commercially and financially
Real Program Is Defeat
Defeat of the treaty by means o
proposed amendments to it rs the rea
program and hope of the majority of tn
committee on foreign relations. 1t
for this purpose that the treaty ha
been locked up in cold storage for s
many weeks. They have felt justifie
in retaining the treaty in committee
holding useless hearings and makin
killing amendments. with the fu
knowledge that amendments would bea
the treaty just as effectively as re
fusal to ratify.
"A few. very few, have declare
.hay ,pouId vote against the treaty be