Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1919-09-02
ATTERBURY SAYS
WILSON DELAYED
PEACE TREATY
His Speech at Remove Heard
With Interest by the
Railroaders

Renova. Pa. Sept 2.-W. W. At
teroury, vice president of the Penn
sylNania Railroad, who served with
the Am rican EXpeditionary Forces
with the rank of brigadier general,
was the principal speaker at the
welcome Home celebra ton here, to
returned soldiers. sailors and nurses.
during the coure of his address
Mr.: Atterbury blamed President
wilson for the delay of the Senate
IN ratfying the Peace Treaty. He
stated that the President had vio-
lated the Constitution of the United
States when he failed to get the
advice and consent of the Senate
when making the treaty with Ger
many.
He impressed on his audience the
immediate need for speedy ratifica-
ton, saying that it was not neces-
sary to incorporate the length
covenant in the treaty. He further
stated that the value of the League
of Nations could be discussed when
National life became normal. He
said:
DO not misunderstood me. l am
not against the League of Nations.
Properly formulated and at the
proper time, it could and would
greatly tend to maintain the peace
of the world and the happiness and
prosperity of mankind; but We do
not want IL now. We want peace
as soon as we can get it.
Covenant Can Wait
''Nor is it necessary that the
Peace Treaty and the League of
Nations should be one and the same
document. Peace can be made at
once. The League of Nations
should be discussed when National
life has become normal. and the
real friend of the League of Ma
tions will, l am sure. recognize it
time, because the delay in making
peace is jeopardizing the possibility
of a League in the future.
AT present we, the people, are
commencing to think. We are tired
of interminable discussion; we are
tired of the whole thing. We do
not want anything more to do with
Europe's politics or Europe's wars.
We want a quick peace that will
take America out of European en-
tanglements once for all.
IF peace is not shortly made and
should this feeling become general
the formation of such League will
be postponed indefinitely.
NfltlClSm OF J1e senate
And one man and one man only
is responsible. The conductor of
the train disregarded the rules. The
book of rules is plain. The Con-
stitution reads: He (the President)
shall have power by and with the
advice and consent of the Senate,
to make treaties
II ask you. has either the letter
or the spirit been carried out?
We have no right to criticize the
Senate for delay in the bringing
about of peace. The Treaty of
Peace. with the League of Nations,
was submitted to it by the Presi-
dent on July 10. Their advice was
not asked. Their consent was de-
manded. From that time to the
present day the Committee on For
eign Affairs of the Senate has con-
sistently endeavored to get the in
formation necessary to enable it
to act intelligently and with due
heed to the safeguard of our coun-
try. The hearings of this commit
tee are public documents. The rec
ords are clear. The ignorance dis
played in the discussion of the sub
ject before and with the committee
by those who were responsible for
the preparation of the Treaty is but
another example of the wisdom
manifested by our forefathers-
those who wrote the Constitution
in connection with the necessity of
control of the executive.
What the outcome will be after
more and more light is shed on the
subject no one knows.
I'VE did not enter into this war
/ in defense of the democracy of the
world. That was definitely settled
at the Presidential election in No
vember, 1915. War was forced up
on us and by popular demand Con-
gress on April 6, 1917, declared that
! a state of war existed"