The Pleasantville press. (Pleasantville, N.J.) 1912-1929, 1919-09-27
Leaders In Forty States, Re-
gardIess of Party, Sign
Ringing Appeal.
TREATY WITHOUT AMENDMENT
Say Every Day of Delay Puts
World in Imminent Peril of
!, New Mar---Point to
National Unrest.


ent states and every prominent &C.
tivity, have joined in a non-partisan
effort to bring about the ratification of
the peace treaty without amendment
and without delay The names are
attached to an address to the United
States senate, which was made public
today through the League to Enforce
member of the senate.
The signers, almost without excep-
ton, are men and women of national
reputation. They include such prom
inent citizens as ex-President Taft,
George w. Wickersham, attorney gen.
eral in the last Republican administra-
ton; A. Lawrence Lowell, president of
Harvard; Charles G. Moore, of San
Francisco, president of the Panama
Exposition; Judge George Gray, of
Wilmington, Del. President Samuel
Gompers, of the American FEEDER
alton of Labor; Harry A. Wheel
er, of Chicago, retiring president
of the Chamber of Commerce of
the United States Mrs. Carrie Chap
man Gait, president of the National
American Woman Suffrage Associa-
ton; Cyrus HI. K. Curtis, the Phila-
delphia publisher; President Heber J.
Grant, of the Mormon Church, and
John Spargo, leader of the Socialists
who supported the war.
The signers declare that every day
of delay in ratifying the treaty puts
the world in Imminent peril of new
war" Their statement follows:
In the senate at Washington, now
that the committee on foreign rela-
tons has reported the treaty, the
lines are sharply drawn between the
immediate ratification of the treaty
of peace with Germany and its amend
ment, with a reassembling of the con-
ference and a re-Opening of negotia-
lions that would bring great delay
and prolonged uncertainty in settl-
ing the great issues of the peace. No
partisan plea can be made. Party
lines are already broken. Standing at
a distance from the conflict in the SEN
ate chamber, we plead for immediate
ratification without delay. Our land
requires it. A state of nervous strain,
tension and unrest exists, manifesting
itself in disturbances which in some
cases have no self-evident connection
with the war, but which are in fact its
aftermath. The world is put in immi-
nent peril Of new wars by the lapse of
each day. Discussions between us and
n11r fOrmpr olIinS no hoinn cou-n W.
firmly believe and Solemnly declare
that the states and cities in which we
dwell desire immediate peace.
The waging of war steadied and
united the American people. Peace
will bring prosperity and prosperity
content. Delay In the senate post
poning ratification in this uncertain
period of neither peace nor war has
resulted in fndecision and doubt, bred
strife and quicksned the cupidity of
those who sell the daily necessities of
life and the fears of those whose daily
wage nc longer fills the daily market
basket.
We beseech the senate to give the
land peace and certainty by ratifca-
ton which will not keep us longer in
the shadows of possible wars, but give
the whole world the light of peace.
Reservations in the nature of clari-
fcations in the meaning Of the treaty
not inconsistent with its term will not
require the reopening of the negotia-
tons with Germany and with our
associates in the war, which we all
and each united to win.
But there Is no possibility of doubt
that amendment of the treaty as Is
now proposed In the senate committee
on foreign relations, would require
negotiation and a reopening of all
the questions decided at Paris.
Months Of delay would follow. The
perils of the present would become the
deadly dangers Of the near future. All
the doubt ~engendered would aid the
plots for violent revolution in this and
other lands. The issues here and else
where between capital and labor. the
conspiracy of Spectator and profiteer,
would all grow and become more peril
Gus.
This cannot be. The American
people cannot, after a victorious war,
permit its government to- petition Ger
many, which has accepted the treaty,
for its consent to changes in the treaty.
Yet, if the United Ststes should amend
the treaty for Its own purpose and pol
icy, Germany would have full right to
ask for concessions. Germany has
aorand RI naaka M claim In rauard m
enemy property seized In this country
to an amount Of seven hundred nail
lion dollars. Our recent foe could
ask for a reopening of this issue
and Of the Lusitania claims. 1t
could raise every question open before
nostilitfes in regard to submarine
warfare and the treatment Of Its ma
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