The sun., 1919-07-02
NO DELAY IN PEACE
FOR U. s., SAYS KNOX
Denies Other Major Entente
Belligercnts VIII Get :.
Trade Start.
END OF WAR is DEFINED
Ratification Of Treaty to Close
Contest without Wilson
Proclamation.
END OF WAR is DEFINED


wAsHINGroN. July .I.-Regardless OF
delays that may take place in the rstih-
cation Of the treaty by the Senate Sena-
tor Knox tPa.) declares the United
States will be at peace with Germany as
soon as peace is established between
tente associated beiligerentS
In his view there is no danger what
ever Of the European countries restoring
peace and trade opportunities before
those win be restored to the United
States. Mr.. Knox has examined the war
emergency laws and the text OF the
treaty, and is convinced as a proposition
OF both law and diplomacy the war will
end simultaneously for all the anti-Ger-
man belligerents.
"If you viii read the preamble and the
last sectSn OF the treaty as Il has been
placed in the Record" he said to-day,
1T will be perfectly apparent that the
drafters of the document intended IL
should become effective when three OF
the major Powers opposed to Germany
and Germany itself should have ratified.
1t is true we haNe been warned that II
We did not promptly ratify American
business might suffer deprivation of
equal opportunities with the business of
countries that did ratity at once. But
that was evidently intended merely to
Brighten business.
The British, like ourselves. have a lot
OF special acts in which various phrases
are employed, such as the end of the
war and the restoration of peace and
tho end OF hostilities.' and the like. A
year or more ago, being more forehanded
about such things than We are. they ap-
pointed commission to examine and re-
port exactly what these various phrases
would mean when 1t came to determining
specific legal date from which the war
would have ended. This commission de-
cided that 1t would be ended when rati-
hcations of the treaty were deposited.
"a study OF our own war legislation
ana of the manifest intent of the Ian
guage in the treaty Indicates that the
same rule will apply here. All arrange
msnts for enforcement of the treaty
terms are made TO date from that de-
post of notifications. Moreover. It will
apply to the United States. whether We
shall actually have ratified or not as
soon as 1t applies to three other Powers
because peace will then be fact The
very intention of that clause was to make
countries IL was not feasible to wait for
some minor country like Guatemala or
Cuba to ratify while all the rest should
be kept in a continuing state Of war.
Presumption OF trade with Germany
n made possible under this stipulation.
The trading with the enemy act stipu-
iates that IL is to contlnus in effect dur
ing the wars duration. The peacelreaty
tells when the war ends: therefore 1t
tells when the trading with the enemy
act shall terminate operating.
Mr.. KnoN's attention was directed to
q statement by Attorney General Palmer
which has been accepted to mean that
the war would not be legally ended un-
I'll the President had proclaimed that
fact
IF that is the view Of the Attorney
General" replied Mr.. Knox, despite the
high regard in which 1 hold him, l
should have to disagree with him. !
shall be surprised if the President takes
that view.