Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1919-09-14
Playing Into Germany's Hands

IN his swing around the circle, President
Wilson Friday entered the State represented
in the United States Senate by William Edgar
Borah. At Occur d'Alene he delivered a
speech in which he used very plain language
in predicting the dreful results that would
follow rejection of the pending peace treaty.
As SO Strenuously urged by the Idaho Senator
Consideration OF the treaty, he said. had
reached the point where America was face to
face with decision as to whether she would
prove 10 the world whether she meant what
She said in promising to aid in a peace con-
cert The course urged by Senator Borah and
those Senators who are cooperating with him
mean not the peace for which the American
people and the war-weary peoples OF Europe
lonsed. but a world again atlame with war.
Germany wants US 10 stay out OF this
treaty" said the President. not under the
cs!uSio1 that We would seek 10 aid her but
with Inc knowledge that the guarantees
would not be sufficient without America. She
wants 10 see America slienated from the
srsat powers from which she herself has been
slienaieG- Asserting that the field for future
eonQues; lay in the East. he warned that Ger
many si7eady was negotiating with the Boil
$hsNist SovernUent OF Russia in the hope
Of NoGins soil there for industrial and politi
esl intrigue. snd that the peace treaty with
lis !sSsue OF nations covenant alone could
prevent the success OF such plan
The Presidents warning as to German e1-
7eo;St:ons. for the realization OF which we'll
6sv:<e! schemes are already in the making
may rot be lightly dismissed The danger
Is dsily growing more imminent, and il oppo-
nenIs OF the treaty in the Senate succeed in
their plan OF so amending that document as
10 destroy its vitality and force II back to
Paris for renegotiation, the most sanguine
hopes OF Germany will have been fulfilled.
She will have wTested from the allies the
major fruits OF their hard-won victory and
their four years effort will largely go for
naught
That the President was not drawing upon
his imagination, is amply attested in the
statement OF former Minister OF State Won
Scheller Steinwartz in an interview given the
staff correspondent Of the New York World
at Berlin and published in that paper Friday
All humanity, Germany particularly" said
Won Steinwartz, lis tensely awaiting the de-
cision OF the American Senate on the peace
treaty. Apparently Senator Lodge is the
soul OF the opposition. When he and other
important Senators fight the peace treaty.
their course means that the treaty dspleases
them because in the excessive enslavement
Of Germany. for which America would be
forever co-responsibe, they see grave danger
OF future complications. That course is thus
TO be hailed like the morning red OF new
dawn There is promise OF still better reali-
cation Of conditions in the prospect that
America in all seriousness may express the
wish for a separate peace with the central
powers"
Ominous words, these. They justify all OF
the Presidents grave apprehensions. Do the
American people want to undo the hard but
Just terms, imposed upon Germany and free
her to continue her intrigues for world
dominion at the cost OF future wars which
they hoped the present treaty would end for
ever? 1t is against this thing that the Presi-
dent is pleading in his appeal TO the Ameri-
can people to stand firm for treaty that
makes it forever impossible