Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1919-07-25
If America Makes Reserva.
tions Other Nations May
Ask Changes.
SENATOR PITTMAN
DEMANDS ACTION
America Can Wait For Peace, Declares
Nevada Senator, But Europe Can
Not-United States Senate May Un-
do All That Was Done In Peace Con-
ference, Asserts Speaker, Thru Mod
ifications or Reservations.

Washington, July 25.-Any' reserva-
tions in senate ratification of the peace
treaty would reopen the whole field OF
negotiation, encourage other nations
to make reservations and renew inter
national dissention. declared Senator
Pittman, Of Nevada, democrat men,
her of the foreign relations committee
in an address today in the senate.
The speaker cited the Spanish treaty
Of 1919, to which the senate attached a
reservation as to Papal claims in Flor
ida, and said that altho the Spanish
government attached the same reser-
walton the treaty had to be ratified &
second time because two stipulations
were differently worded. He pointed
out that the supreme court later had
held this reservation to be "a part Of
the treaty.. and that the same court
had held Of the treaty with Spain that
lin it's essence it is a contract"
1T is immaterial," continued Sena-
tor Pittman, whether the senate con-
siders the reservation as changing the
treaty or not, for that is question un-
DER the law of contracts that the 9TH
er party has an equal right to deter
mine. 1t is immaterial whether the
change be accomplished in the body OF
the treaty or by reservations in the
resolution approving the treaty or by
interpretative clauses annexed to the
treaty. The words in contract are
Of as much Importance to the contract
ing PARTIES as the agreement itself and
the words once agreed upon can not be
changed without the consent Of each
of the parties to be bound by the con-
tract. -s>~~s<-
Would Other Nations Aeeeptf
= Are we justified in assuming that
other parliaments and governments
will accept without further interpre-
tation OF definitions of the articles OF
the covenant as affecting our own OBJ
legations?
"Japan's most bitter fight at the
council table was to grant the league
jurisdiction to prevent the United
States, Canada and Australia from ex-
cluding Japanese from their territories
under the immigration laws. Think
you that the Japanese government will
neglect the opportunity to again in
sist on reservations in the treaty COW
ering this point?
Think you that the italian parlia-
ment, having the opportunity by re-
opening of negotiations, would hesi-
tate to place in the treaty reservations
which they believe are necessary to
protect her interests at Fiume, Dali
malta and along the Adriatic when we
had set the example?
What Britain Might %.
would there be cause, for surprise
If, in the circumstances. the parliament
Of Great Britain should feel justified in
adding reservation to the treaty when
it goes back to them to the effect that
the clause providing for limitation for
naval armament should not, by reason
of Great Britain's peculiar situation
apply to that government?
UNLESS we approve this treaty as it
stands then we open the door to all the
disastrous possibilities Of renewed in
ternational dissentions.
''The nations of the world may all be
against us, and in the league of nations
they may violently misconstrue the ar
ticles affecting our interest. They are
more apt to attempt to accomplish this
purpose If there is no league of ma
tions.
Europe Can Not Delay.
I'VE can wait for peace; Europe can
not. The real peace treaty was not
with our enemy but between us and
our friends. There is no precedent for
such treaty. We may force any
treaty upon defeated enemy. Must
we compromise treaty, between our
friends? The ablest and most pa
triotic statesmen of the world for
months untiringly gave their time to
reaching this treaty.
Speaking purely as an American I
believe that our nation will be in as
much danger as any other nation in the
world, IL this treaty fails. Already
there are signs in Europe Of the aban-
donment Of peaceful intentions and
groups of nations are feeling their way
to Organization for war and conquest.
II the world does not soon guarantee
France and Italy and the, new nations
against aggression thru concerted ac-
tion under the league Of nations there
vii. pc an aiiit1r:- of pow SaTs Superior. :.
to our strength and that will not be In
sympathy with our policies and our in
terests. Our Monroe doctrine will thcn
cease to be a doctrine. because we will
be unable to maintain it. We will be
able to defend our own shores, but only
by having the greatest navy and the
most powerful army that any country
aver hadO gs ta 55t-.tg, n ,S3t