The Greeneville daily sun. (Greeneville, Tenn.) 1918-1920, 1919-05-10
THE SUMMARY OF THE TREATY.

The average American, glanelng over the muutOue Of
comments in the peace treaty summarized is vey apt
to ask what has all this to do with the United States
Why couldn't the United States make peace without en-
tangngsef in scores of questions in various parts of
the world?
If the treaty as summarized compact between
the European vctors and vanquished, Americans would
not need to judgment in their hearty approval OF
the horoughness with whcih Germany is disarmed and
made to repair the damage she has DONE There is no
fault to find with the work of the peace conference in this
particular True Marshal Foch regards the military guar
antees as nadequate but if the commissions to be set
up are viglant in their supervision of Germanys &C
tvites they can easily squech any incipen marism on
her part.
The treaty provides for reparation commission which
will have powers 1t is noticeable that tins com
mission is not part of the fantastic league of nations,
but substantial body acting directly for the great victor
nations including the United States. An American repre-
sentative is not needed there but France prefers to have
American counsel during the coming years on the all I'M
porant matter of repaatons there will be no disposition
to deny the cooperation.
In many particulars the arrangements provided by the
allies are admirable. Old niquites are removed and
causes of war eliminated Germany's malign hand is cut
away from Morocco, Lbireia, Siam, Africa and China
but in the latter case to the lasting reproach OF Paris
conference China is made the victim of another inter-
Iloper to take Germanys place That future war
Therefore the league of nations if it survives vii have
its work cut out for it in the Orient.
Many matters are left unexplained in the cabed sum-
mary of the treaty. 1t is noticeable that summary of the
eague of nations conceals the grave commitments which
must be made by the United States if it becomes party to
the treaty There mention of the fact that the Unit
ed States is required guarantee the political indepen-
lence and territorial integrity of more than 80 nations
This and other dsagreeabe and perhaps fatally obJec-
onabe provisions of the treaty omitted The Amer
AN public is given full meal the terms which seem
ngy cut Germany to pieces Thus on the face of the
summary there could be no hesitation as between ac-
eptng and rejecting the treaty 1t would be accepted by
Ian overwhelming VOTE
But the summary is not the treaty itself and the signing
at Paris is not necessarily the end of the matter The
truth is that the American people have not yet begun to
exert their will in the matter of peace with Germany
h0NN''"AS
form settled Judgment They have been like the little
minor nations rank outsiders far as information re-
gardng Foundations of the treaty is concerned Now
they are to get more light and the light they obtain
he more they will demand They will know everything
before they will bind the United States
The agreement by the President of the United States
to recommend to the Senate an undertaking" to edge
the United States to go to in behalf of France in case
she should be attacked by Germany is not worth the pa
Ter on which it written 1t is astonishing that France
should accept such scrap of paper The Presidents
concentration concerning future declaration of war by
Congress- in remote times one of the browning absurd
tiles of the proceedings at Paris. Neither the President
nor Congress- nor both combined tie the hands of
future Congress- Congress knows this simple schoolboy
fact 1t seems to have been overlooked at Paris.
No paper pledge is needed to keep the United States
on the side of France ready to annhate the Huns if they
hould again presume to assal human liberty No long
yinded treaty. full of complications and secret bargains
of all Sorts needed to enable the United States to cnch
its share of the victory over the enemy. AS the people
Of the United States study this treaty in detail in the
weeks to come presuming that it signed and accepted
by responsible enemy government, they may make
the Senate Enthusiastically of their will that the
treaty should be amended and that the United States
should be kept from not all of the entangements
contained in the compact Washington Post
Whatever the majority don't like, they going to
suppress, right or wrong