Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1919-09-11

USED TO KILL
! PACT, CHARGE.
Democrats On Foreign Rela-
tons Committee File Min
ority Report.
RESERVATIONS HAVE ALL
| VICES OF AMENDMENTS
American Trade Suffering
| From Delayed Ratification,
| Senator's Say.
By L. c. Martin

Omitted Press Staff Correspondent
Washington, Sept. 1l.-Six democras
tic members of the foreign relations
committee today presented to the senate
a minority report ON the peace treaty,
urging unqualified adoption of the pact
The report replies to statements made
in the majority report filed by Senator
Lodge yesterday and charges that scna'
tors opposing the league Of nations,
knowing tits inyincible in a fair figns,
are trying to defeat it "by lhlirec-
ton, through reservations.
The proposed reservations, the report
said, have all the vices of amendments
''and the additional vice of pretending
TO be what they are not''-interpreta-
tions of the covenant language.
The document, which was signed by
senators Hitchcock, Williams, swanson,
Pomerence, Smith Of Arizona and Pitt
man, stated:
That delay in reporting the peace
treaty has resulted in government by
obstruction.
That American trade already shows
effects of this delay.
That adoption Of the majority IS
amendments or reservations means the
United States will lose all concessions
secured from Germany by a dictated
peace. a
That the reservations are the work of
senators determined to destroy the
league and, if possible, defeat the trea-
ty.
That the league of nations is the
world S only hope of preventing interna-
tional chaos.
That those opposing have nothing to
offer to do this.
"We deplore, said the report, the
long and unnecessary delay to which
the treaty has been subjected while
! locked up in the committee whose ma.
iority decisions and recommendation,
were from the start foregone conclu-
sion.
/ "The industrial world is in ferment
the financial world in doubt and com
mercc halts while this great delay in the
peace settlement has been caused by the
majority Of committee known to be
out of harmony with the majority Of the
senate and the majority Of the people
This is government by obstruction a:
well as by minority.
"'For the first seven months following
the armistice, our exports averaged al
most seven hundred millions per month
! but in July they fell to $50, 0,000,000
Europe undoubtedly wants our export,
but can only take them in full quantity
if our financial institutions provide the
credit to bridge over the period neces
sary to restore European industry to PR
duetiveness. This private credit can
not and will not be furnished as long a
the peace settlement is in doubt. Sine,
the armistice was signed, our govern
ment has advanced to European govern
,ments nearly two and one-half nillioi
dollars, which was almost enough t.
cover the balance of trade during tn
eight months period. Our government
however, has about reached the end O
its authority given by congress and will
advance but little more.
The minority ridiculed the claim o
the majority that trading with German.
has been resumed and while a'dmittin,
over s11,000,000 worth of goods ha,
been exported to Germany since tn
armistice, pointed out that this is abou
two cents per month for each person il
Germany.