The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1919-08-08
FRENCH TREATY I J
Sent TO SENATE
Wilson's Message Asking That
Il Be Promptly Ratified
RECEIVED in OPEN SENATE
President Refers To 1t As A Supple.
ment To Peace Treaty - Two /;
Treaties To Be Considered
Together BY The Senate. I.

with France, promising immediate
American aid to that republic in re-
polling any unprovoked attack by Ger
many, was sent to the Senate by Pres
ident Wilson.
In his message urging ratification
the President declared the promise a
temporary supplement to the treaty
with Germany and the League of Ma
tions covenant, designed to give
France protection in an emergency
without awaiting the advice of the
league to act" He pointed out that
y similar promise had been made by
Great Britain and said that by the
obligation the United States but
partially discharged debt to France
which nothing can pay in full"
The Senate, where the Presidents
failure to submit the treaty sooner
has been under repeated fire from
Republican members, received the
message in open session and referred
the treaty without discussion to the
Foreign Relations Committee.
CNI vi FTSStOCub = MSSo04Ss
President Wilson's message to the
Senate follows: ILL.,
Gentlemen of the Senate-I take
pleasure in laying before you a treaty
with the Republic Of France, the OBJ
ject of which is to secure that Re-
public Of the immediate aid Of the
United States of America in case OF
an unprovoked movement of aggres-
sion against her on the part of Ger
many. earnestly hope that this treaty
will meet with your cordial approval
and will receive an early ratification
1T your hands, along with the treaty
Of peace with Germany. Now that
you have had an opportunity to ex-
anime the great document / presented
to you two weeks ago, it seems OPP
Fortune to lay before you this treaty,
which is meant to be in effect a part
If it.
1t was signed on the same day with
She treaty Of peace and is intended as
temporary supplement to it. 1t is
believed that the treaty with Ger
many itself provides adequate protec-
!ion to France against aggression from
her recent enemy on the east; but the
gears Immediately ahead Of us contain
many incalculable possibilities. The
covenant Of the League of Nations
provides for military action for the
protection of it's members only upon
o5,,soo A. no,vvot1 ~ xbae Loo Oyro-
advice given, it is to be presumed,
only upon elaboration and acted upon
by each of the governments of the
member states only if its own judg-
ment justifies such action.
The object of the special treaty with
France which now submit to you Is
to provide for immediate military as
sistance to France by the United
States in case of any unprovoked
movement of aggression against her
by Germany without waiting for the
advice of the council of the League
Of Nations that such action be taken.
1t is to be an arrangement not indie
pendent of the League of Nations, but
under it. Aya
1t is, therefore, expressly provided
that this treaty shall be made the sub
ject of consideration at the same time
with the treaty of peace. with Ger
many; that this special arrangement
shall receive the approval of the coun-
Gil of the league; and that this special
provision for the safety of France
shall remain in force only until, upon
application of one Of the parties to it.
the council of the league, acting. il
necessary, by majority vote, shall
agree that the provisions Of the Gov
enant OF the league afforded her sum
cient protection.
/ was moved to sign this treaty by
considerations which will, hope. seem
as persuasive and as irresistible to
you as they seem to me. We are
bound to assistance by ties of friend
ship which we have always regarded
and shall always regard as peculiarly
sacred. She assisted us to win ouI
freedom as a nation. It is seriously
to be doubted whether we could have
won it without her gallant and timely
aid. We have recently had the priv
ilege of assisting in driving enemies
who were also enemies of the world
from her soil; but that does not pay
our debt to her. Nothing can pay such
debt She now desires that we
should promise to lend our great force
to keep her safe against the, power
she had most reason to fear. Another
great nation volunteers the same
promise. It is one of the fine re
versals of history that the other ma
tion should be the very power from
whom France fought to set us free. A
new day has dawned. Old antagon
isms are forgotten. The common cause
Of freedom and enlightenment has
created new comradeships and new
perception of what it is wise and nee
essary for great nations to do to free
the world Of intolerable fear. Two
governments who wish to be members
~ fha I 90 ono of Nations ask Inavo III