New-York tribune., 1919-11-21
Nr,c York Tribxme
Washington Bureau

WASHINGTON, Nov 20,-The re.
lection of the peace treaty last nigh,
and an informal statement at the White
House to-day that President Wilson
would not lift wartime restrictions or
the sale of liquor until peace formally
was declared left little hope of q
"wet" Christmas to those who had
looked forward to aa "oasis" before
constitutional prohibition becomes eff
fective January l6.
The failure of the treaty leaves the
situation exactly where it was before
the votes were recorded last night, so
far as wartime prohibition, foreign
trade and other matters affected by the
existence of technical state Of war
are concerned.
Attorne.l General Palmer has ruled
that the President must proclaim the
conclusion cf peace before the war
time ban can be lifted, and that peace
cannot be proclaimed until the trading
with the enemy act is terminated.
Trading Act Continues
The trading with the enemy act will
continue in force, under the ruling Of
the Attorney General, until the treaty
with Germany is ratified. Many Sena-
tors, however, including Senator Knox,
of Pennsylvania, insist that peace can
be established completely and fully
through an act of Congress, and that
the President would have to proclaim
peace formally should Congress adop,
the resolution declaring the existence
of peace which Senator Lodge, Repub
.ican leader, introduced in the Senate
last night.
The wartime prohibition act speci-
fes that wartime prohibition shall con-
tinue until the rehabilitation Of the
army has been completed and peace has
been proclaimed.
The "wets" contend that President
Wilson proclaimed peace in his address
to Congress notifying the country that
the armsticc was signed and they are
basing cases in the Supreme Court or
that announcement. The demobiliza-
tion of the arm was announced several
woe's ago
Whether the President would regard
peace as fully established through
resolution of Congress probably will
not be known until Congress sends the
resolution to the President for sigma
ture. In the mean time, the President
is following the ruling of Mr.. Palmer.
which leaves the United States techni-
cally at war with Germany.
The effect of the Senate's rejection
of the treaty. so far as foreign trade
is concerned. is to leave the wartime
restrictions that have not been lifted
by executive order still in force.
Trade with Germany will continue
under the regulations that have per-
mtted exports of goods from the
United States to that country, and i'm
ports from Germany, since last winter.
Fan Partly Removed
The trading with the enemy act was
partly lifted through executive orders
issued last winter and last spring. The
President authorized the granting Of
blanket licenses to shippers trading
with Germany last July. and since that
time commercial intercourse with Ger
many virtually has been freed from
.egal restrictions.
There are some prohibited articles
which cannot be shipped to Germany
or received from that country, and the
restrictions on these will continue.
They include drugs, chemicals and dye
stutfs. But the bars are down on all
ordinary articles of commerce.
The restrictions principally concern
imports from Germany, as the ship
ments to Germany are freely allowed
The import situation is causing chief
concern, as the failure of the treaty
will leave the United States for a time