The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1919-07-02
TRADE WITH
: EUROPE AWAITS
SENATE ACTION
Treaty of Peace Must Be Rat
flied After Presidents Re-
turn Before Americas Ex-
port Business Is Extended.
BY DAVID LAWRENCE.
The News ~scinltar's Special Core.
%spondent.

n views Sctfnttars special Corfe'
%spondent.
WASHINGTON, July 2. (splJ-The
senate Of the United States is today the
most powerful institution in the AfAefi-
car Government. 1t alone can say
when American exporters and importers
can do business with centEal Europe.
~ alone car say whom many OF
the war time restrictions. including the
prohibition regulation which has just
gone into effect can be removed. A
proclamation OF a state of peace de-
Ponds upon the exchange Of f~attficStions
of the peace treaty. Until the senate
has ratified the peace treaty, President
Wilson will not proclaim that America
has emerged from a state of war,
This action is forecast by Attorney
eipal law officer of the government and
legal adviser Of the president, he, has
rendered a judgment that it will be
unlawful to trade with the enemy un-
til peace, haes been proclaimed. All
the penalties of the trading with the
enemy act remain In force until the
wise all other measures whose phrase
ology would seem to indicate that
a proclamation OF a state Of peace is
necessary Before restrictive provisions
are removed will be wiped off the sta
tute BOOKS only when the Senate itself
has removed the single obstacle 70
which President wilson is bringing
| course Of events, the present dfy spef
would end in about five weeks. For
it is estimated that. Decentralization vii
be complete In that time. But to re-
move the ban on the sale Of liquor
ended. If Mr.. Wilson takes the position
on one subject that the state of war Is
not ended until Publications have beer
exchanged, he cannot very well take
another attitude on the same question
when applied to another set Of laws
Having been advised by Attorney Gen
eral Palmer that q proclamation Of Z
state of peace depends, upon the fatifi'
cation of the peace treaty, Mr.. Wilson
is most likely to follow that line o
policy.
Senate Responsible.
So the senate will have to bear the
responsibility for any delays incident Z
the ratification of the peace treaty. Al
gin trading with Central Europe al
SCOT as their 'parliaments have ratified
the peace treaty which probably VII
be done within ten days as the prime
ministers and premiets COMMAND
majority in their respective parllaments
IIeSluent "liSOHi iuWofCl{ loSSS.
Hostile political party. Delays, hay
been forecast because of the expresse,
Opposition Of a number OF Republican
senators to certain provisions OF tn
peace treaty relating to a league o
nations
pected to tell the people tof Americ;
that action by the senate alone cal
bring them ali the fruits of peace ant
particularly the removal of all the re
strictions u~navoidably imposed by tn
war.
The situation with respect to prohi
bition sis particularly, affected by an!
decision by the president to withhold
his proclamation of a state OF peae'
until after the senate has acted Tn
law by which the entire United state
became dry on Monday Of this week
contains this language AFTER June ~
1919. until the c9nclusion OF Che preseli
ton Of capitalization, the date q, whicl
shall be determined and procla fried b.
the president of the United States, etc
1t shall be unlawful to sell for bevefag
purposes, etc.
Must Ratify Treaty.
The trainers Of this law obviousl
contemplated a-sitHation In which :
treaty Of peace would follow the END
ing Of hostilities and that eonceivabl
the armies would not be ~demobilized un
til after the war was formally endec
American military and naval force
were not completely demobilized IN TN
Spanish American war until after peac
had been signed with Spain. Mr.. WI
son wouid not how argue that a stat
of war between the United states an
Germany came to an end with tn
armistice for there was no ~assuranc
on Nov. II last that hostilities wqul
not be recommended. Indeed, two. wees
ago when it seemed that the German
might refuse to sign the treaty, prep
arations were begun for a military ad
vance by the American army Of oecu
patton,
her agreements so far as they aztec
the United States until the treaty ma
been formally ratified by the senat'
disqualification itself may, end by tn
time most of the countries in Eufop
have made formal peace with Germany
but technically the United Skates gov
eminent will not consider the war owe
until the constitutional powers OF tn
senate have been exercised.
OF course this attitude by the eXecu
} tive branch of the government ma
work both ways. Vets may want tn
! treaty of peace hurriedly ratified, Dry
may be satisfied with leisurely discus
sion, American business men who wal
to convert their wal time plants !
= new uses and engage in export trad
r using the big American merchant me-
rine developed by the war will wal
the treaty ratified quickly. Heads {
American labor have already argue
that more export trade means MOI
employment for the idle in the factorit
of the United States and an assuranc
that high wages will be continued. Thy
= the forces most interested in pushin
/ the treaty of peace to ratification WI
, be American business big and littl
I desiring new markets overseas. and Y
+, leaders of American labor. They vi
be conspicuous among the Influence
appealing to public opinion generally, I
urge the senate to accept or reject II
treaty Of peace, but to act Quickly.
= Copyright, 1919. by the New Yof
[ Evening oPst, Inc)
ynurnnHs cvcTEsAN