The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1919-08-29
Declares Peace Treaty Means
~Centuries of Blood Letting"
Says "Hard and CrUeF' Terms
Violate International Law.
MERELY TRUCE OF VERSAILLES
Lodges Colleague Says Ger
many Cannot Meet Terms.
FavOrs League of All Nations
Treaty Great, Gaunt Tragedy.

Washington, Aug. 29.-Declaring
that the peace treaty-which he
termed merely the truce of Yer
) sailles'-cannot be enforced but will
lay the foundation for CENTURIES of
blood letting" Senator Knox. of Penn
sylvania, Republican member of the
foreign relations committee and for
mer secretary Of state, told the senate
today that the United States should
decline to become a party to the set
Element effected at Versailles and
should negotiate a separate peace with
Germany.
In its hard and cruel terms. he as
serted the treaty imposed on Ger
many penalties which violate interna-
tional law and engender strife. He
declared there was no reason why the
United States should project itself into
the dangers of such situation.
Only Safe Way-Stay Out.
THE more I consider this treaty"
. said Mr. Knox. "the more 1 am con-
WINGED that the only safe way for US
.. TO deal with IL is to decline to be a
party to it at all.
Il think we should renounce In IA
vor of Germany and all claims for in
demnity because of the war and see
that she gets credit for what we re-
nounce. We ought to renounce all
participation or membership in COM
missions, committees, boards or other
wise provided for in the treaty in aid
of it's execution, to which by its terms
we are parties. We ought to declare a
general policy to regard with concern
any threat OF disturbance of general
world peace, but at the same time we
should reserve complete liberty Of ac-
ton either independently or in con-
junction with other powers in taking
such steps as we determine wise for
preserving the peace.
League for Whole World.
I'VE ought then to carry out the
spirit of the act of 1916, which au-
thorized the president to convene the
nations OF the world together to estab-
lish a code of international law, re-
duce ornaments. establish an inter
national tribunal and go as far as pos
sible in the direction of securing peace
thru justice, thru a league to which
all the world are parties in its forma-
-tion.
This would be a fitting. generous
and dignified exit from a situation in
which primarily we had no direct con-
Germ"
Analysing the treaty. provision by
provision, Knox declared it is so harsh
on Germany that it will kill the
Eblutu tEBs OIL IeDdTdLlOnS, upon
which the allied nations have counted
so much.
shouldn't Be Parties to Cruelty"
1T is indeed a~hard and cruel peace
that this treaty stipulates and 1 have
no objection to its being so. but see nc
reason why we, who do not partake
in its spoils, should become parties to
its harshness and cruelty.
II see no reason why we should be
parties to imposing upon Germany a
treaty whose terms our negotiators say
she will not be able to meet; a treaty
that robs our ancient friend China in a
way disapprOved by our negotiators; a
treaty that lays the foundation for
centuries of bloodletting into which
we should not be drawn; a treaty that
contrary to our own judgment, fails
TO fix the amount of indemnity to be
paid. leaving that vast question to the
whim of a majority of a commission
on reparations. a treaty predicated
upon the assertion that a stricken and
helpless world requires our counse
and support but leaves to the benefit
Charles the decision as to the measure
and character of the benefactions they
are to receive; a treaty that with omi-
nous words presages our involvement
in the eruptions of suppressed volcan-
&c world conditions; a treaty tha
would require us to underwrite all the
regional understanding between ma.