The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1919-07-03

treaty and was actuated by no ul-
terror motives. He asserted that the
American people were entitled to
what the German people and certain
individuals in New York had already
obtained, and he mildly criticized the
presidents slack of tact and manage
ment" in keeping the treaty from the
senate.
There did not seem to be much more
that the committee could learn. Sen
ator Borah said the inquiry had vim
Dictated his charge that Wall street
had the treaty and had shown that
Wall street Is interested in the league
of nations because it Is to be chiefly
a great international and financial COM
bine. Senator Hitchcock claimed to
be equally satisfied because, he said,
it, had been demonstrated that there
was no basis for the insinuation of
improperly on the part of the pres
ident and the American peace dele
cation.
Into the midst of all this ruction
Senator Knox projected his plan to
compel the separation of the league
Of nations covenant and the peace
treaty and thus to permit their sep
arate consideration by the senate. His
resolution, as reported to the senate
by the foreign relations committee,
would virtually serve notice on the
peace conference that unless 1t di-
vorces the two documents the senate
will do 1t. The plan of the opposition
leaders is to ratify the terms of peace
with Germany without delay and to
subject the league covenant to extend
ed deliberation and possibly to ma
tional referendum. This, of course,
opens up the real fight on the league
of nations and a stormy and long de-
bate is expected. Senators who had
not intended to speak on the league
until the pact was formally presented
for ratification are now hastily pre-
pairing their addresses. The support
ers of the league said they would
make hard fight to prevent vote
on the Knox resolution until after the
peace treaty has been signed by the
Germans.
The signing of the treaty, or the re-
fusal to sign it, will not be long de-
layed now. The reply of the allies to
the German contemporaries was
handed to the Hun delegates and they
were told their final decision must be
made within five days, or by June 10.
Several relatively small concessions
were made by the council of four. 1t
agreed to a plebiscite in Upper Silesia,
subject to certain clearly defined con-
ditions. While refusing to fix the def
mite sum Germany must pay, II re-
quires the reparations commission to
do this within four months of the sign
ing Of the treaty. In most other re-
spects the pact was left unchanged,
but explanations were added to meet
the objection that the financial COM
mission was vexatious, inquisitorial
and infringed Germany's rights to con-
duct her own financial affairs. Ger
many's request for a mandate for her
former colonies was refused, and 1t
was understood that her demand for
immediate admission to the league OF
nations met like fate, owing mainly
to the strenuous objection Of Clemen-
ceau.
Turkeys peace delegation arrived
in Paris and, without being officially
received, was sent to Vaucresson, in
the suburbs. It's status Is rather
misty, for no one seemed to know
whether or not the entente allies
would consider it necessary to make
a formal peace with the disrupted
Turkish empire. The Turks went to
Paris on their own suggestion, and at
least it was understood that they were
not plenipotentiaries but consultants.
1t is felt in Paris that the partition of
Turkey is an accomplished fact, since
Constantinople is controlled by Great
Britain and France, while Asiatic
Turkey is completely in the hands of
the Italians, Greeks and British.
The Austro-Hungarian situation
took on added complications last
week. Government circles in London
received the information that a COM
munist republic was to be proclaimed
in Austria at once, with good prospects
of being successful, since, according to
the well informed, the Austrian army
is fully 40 per cent bolshevik. 1t was
predicted the Austrian communists
would quickly align themselves with
those of Hungary, and this was the
peace treaty at Versailles was a