Perth Amboy evening news., 1919-06-13
80
PUBLIC BEING HEARD FROM

If the newspapers can be counted on 10 express PuDh'
opinion in this state, Senators Frelinghuysen and Edge, VINO
represent New Jersey in the upper house of congress, would 90
well to consider carefully their action in connection win ue
Knox resolution which the Pennsylvania senator introduced on
Tuesday for the purpose of further embarrassing PreSlueh'
Wilson. We have yet to find an important newspaper In me
state that has commented favorably on the Knox resolution
Independent Republican newspapers like the Jersey City jour
nal and the Paterson Press Guardian liken the resolution to a
monkey wrench thrown into a "icklish' situation in Paris
and refer to it as being unfortunate and impairment. ohF
the regular Republican organs are not heard from ana the!
maintain a discreet silence. There is not a single voice Vi
approval.
Clearly it is the opinion of a great majority of the patri-
oGc citizens that Senator Knox has gone too far. Opposition
to President Wilson for personal or partisan reasons Is oe
thing, but it is entirely different when the complicated ahairS
of our International relations are concerned, especlalY uhier
sucb irving circumstances as those which at present confront
the peace conference.
With all Europe bristling with Bolsheyism ana anarchy
with the imperialistio ambitions of the different nations con.
stanty being brought to the fore, there is only the League Vi
Nations idea standing between a peace o. the sworn III aP0"'
of justice and reason.
Withdraw the League of Nations, as the Knox resolution
is intended to do, and refuse American cooperation III man
tanning the peace of Europe as the Borah amendment TO the
Knox resolution does, and it is merely an invitation 10 Lpyu
George, Clemenceau and Orlando to take no chances Dt 10
proceed with a peace of their own making as if America were
not concerned. France would look to strategic frontiers ana
would take the left bank of the Rhine; Great Britain would an
mex the various German colonies and Italy would De JuSthieu
in taking all of Dalmatia with Fiume. AS for houmahla'
Czheco-SIovakia and JugO-Slavia they would be left TO selze
as much of Hungary and Austria as they could lay thef Hdllus
on. In short, as the New York Evening Post puts 1t, :" a re-
pudiation of Wilson by the senate is an invitation to European
imperialism to go as far as it likes" We all know what that
means. It means anarchy run wild with wars and prepara-
lions for wars for years to come.
Whether we like the League of Nations or not 1t IS the
only salvation for tue peace of the world today even though u
NAV be abandoned b few years hence when conditions are more
normal II is merely by q thread that the allies are held to-
eether now and that thread is the League of Nations idea. IN
tricate questions that otherwise would cause a fatal split are
automatically referred to the League of Nations for future
adjudication. Territory and cities claimed by more than one
country are left to the League of Nations to govern. Serve
notice on the allies that America will have nothing TO DO with
the league and this tender thread that now holds negotiations
together will break.
Needless to say it is Germanys purpose to break the
thread if she possibly can. 1t is bad enough to combat the
propaganda and intrigue of the Germans, but when the at
tack is made in the rear, as is the case in the United States
senate. the position of the President is made all the more diff
fcult in holding the conference together along lines for which
America fought. .
The attitude of the press of New Jersey is significant. III
is in line with the great majority of the newspapers OF the
country. The New York Sun, a newspaper notorious for being
The mouthpiece of the Especial interests, being the most
striking exception, although Hearsts New York American has
Joined the Sun in this particular matter making a strange COM
binaton indeed. But when we realize Hearst's attitude to-
ward Germany in the past the situation is better understood.
But under the circumstances it would be well for the senators
at Washington to consider well before they proceed any fur
Their in this dangerous matter. Particularly should the two
senators from New Jersey heed we'll the sentiment at home.
This has ceased to be a partisan matter and the rank and lille
of the voters, who desire most of all a lasting peace, will not
stand for such unwarranted interference as the Knox resolu-
ton proposes. Il.