Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1919-11-20
The Senate and the Treaty.

peace treaty, with or without the pro-
posed reservations. That deplorable
result has come at the end of a pro
longed debate. covering MANY weeks.
No single ratifying proposal commands
the support of two-thirds of the Sen
ate, as required under the Constitution
in the approval of treaties. up to this
time
A question issues whether the treaty
is dead, or is merely lying on the
Senate table awaiting action. 1t is
urged on one hand that the adjourn
ment without action kills the treaty.
On the other hand, it is asserted that
upon reassemblfng next month the
Senate can by a majority vote resolve
to take it up for consideration anew.
If the treaty is. withdrawn by the
President it ceases to exist for the
present. Such q course by the Presi-
dent will compel fresh action to
the end Of effecting peace with Ger
many, unless he resubmits the re-
jected instrument.
1t is greatly to be regretted that
there was NO coming together in the
Senate upon compromise in terms
of reservations. There was ample
ground for such settlement. Those
senators who stood by the treaty, rep
resenting the administration, had a
choice, not between ratification with
or without any reservations. but be
tween ratification with the best form
of reservations to be secured and no
treaty at all. They we're unable to
secure sufficient support to effect the
choice of the former in the alterna-
tive that was finally presented.
There is still hope for treaty of
peace with American reservations.
That hope is based upon the belief
that two thirds of the Senate. will agree
to accept a declaration of peace on
terms that, without afronting Ameri-
can ideals Of righteousness between
nations, lays the foundations of a
league of nations preserving Ameri-
can. rights. ,r;
We should make treaty with our
allies to the end of formally stopping
the present war, technically still con
tinuing. without involving us or them
in possible future wars. We should
make a treaty, 50 modified by ade-
quate reservations that It will com
mand not merely the votes of two
thirds of the Senate as the eo-treaty-
making power of this government, but
the confidence and support Of the
American people.
1t has been already proposed in the
Senate to make separate peace with
Germany. The form suggested is that
of concurrent resolution, which
would not require the assent of the
President. That is wrong method of
making peace. Congress declares war
and might naturally act to end war,
but the House and Senate, acting
alone, without presidential approval,
or failing that approval with a two
thirds vote in both houses, do not con-
stitute the Congress of the Constitu-
ton.
1t is not believed that the American
people want to end the war with Ger
many by concurrent resolution, but,
in company with their allies, on the
terms set down in the Paris treaty.
But it also appears, so far as the Sen
ate represents them, that they do not
want to mix devices for the fighting
or prevention of future war under a
world league of nations, with the end,
ing on wise terms of the present war
1t is not strange that there should be
difficulty in shaping the covenant OF
constitution of world league of ma.
tions.
If the birth pangs of the Constitu
ton of the American Union were pro.
tracted and intense, much more pro.
tracted and agonizing will naturally
be the birth -pangs Of the Constitution
Uf The Union of the World. The Con-
stitution of the United States was
born only after months of travail
Angry .wraRgling, especially over ques
lions of representation and between
the large and small states, marked by
threats of withdrawal from negotia
ton, and by reversafs Of decision
characterized the debates Of our con.
stitutional convention and of the rati
flying conventions of the states. Ye1
our colonies, homogeneous raciaHy, in
language and in conditions of develop
ing environment, were already merged
in a confederation by war won in com
mon,. and had learned from painful
experience the absolute necessity OF
more perfect union, if the individua
communities were to avoid bankruptcy
and military impotency TO- resist :
foreign enemy. The proposed Union Of
the. World seeks to, merge a hodge
podge of Heterogeneous nations Of
peoples Of diversified races, languages
interests, traditions, civilizations 'ant
methods of thought, with no such alb
solutely compelling necessity to driv,
them together.