The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1919-05-23
DEBATE ON
. PEACE. LEACUE
WAKES warm
Senator Sherman Makes Vigorous
Attack Upon Covenant
Of Nations
WANTS TREATY PURGED
Insists Upon Separation of In.
ternational Union From
Pact

Washington, May 23-The first de.
bate in connection with tho peace
treaty at the extraordinary session OF
congress began in the senate today
with the calling up by Senator John
son Of Califarnia of his resolution
asking the state department to fur.
nfsh the senate with text of the
treaty. Sena0r4 Johnson .sdeclared, he
treaty had been made public, and,
turning to the Democratic side of the
state, declared the only reason it has
not oen given out here lis because
you have something to concal."
violats Senate Practice.
Senator Hitchcock of Nebraska,
Democrat, declared the resolution VIC.
lated senate practice and moved that
it be referred to committee, He. do
clared that. never pefOr had the senate
called for the text Of q treaty before
it was exevuted., .... 49,
Senator Lodge replying to Senator
Hitchcock said there could be no i'm.
propropriety in giving out the text OF
the treaty (which was now being
read by every German shopkeeper."
A resolution declaring it the sense
Of the snate that the covenant of the
league of nations be separated from
the peac. traty when it is submittd for
ratification was introduced in the sen.
ais today by Senator Sherman Of Iii.
nOis.
Sherman Gives Speech.
Mr.. Sherman plnnned to deliver an
address in, opposition to the league
covenant when he introduced the reso.
luton. Notice was also given that
Senators Reed OF Missouri and Robin
son of.aArkansas,, both Democrats,
would speak on the subject next Mon
day. Senator ble led. is expected to op.
pose the leagu plan: and Robinson to
dfend it, sS::e = 's.js {. III 49,.
The attack on the league Of nations
began in :. the sL>ate today with
Senator Sherman of Illinois. bitterly
criticising President, Wilson for his
conduct Of peace negotiations and de.
,nouncing :. the, league = proposal as q
revolutionary attempt to 'set up a
parliament, Of nations controlled by an
oligarchy." :, g. l-,-. Il
Liberties won in centuries of strug.
giles would be lost forever" declared
the Illinois, senator. ...,. Doomed with
shameless peftidy from it's inception
and BIRTH the league, he predicted.
"would become, a gigantic tirebrand
for world conflagration.' -
Senator Sherman made his address
in presenting a resolution declaring it
the sense of the senate that the league
covenant should bo separated from
Q peace treaty when
submitted to me seante for ratifica'
ton.
Broken Faith.
He charged President Wilson had
broken faith with China, Poland and
Italy; had yielded to domination by
Great Britain, and had promised to
embark the United States on policies
that would require her to send mil.
lion soldiers abroad.
"The American people," declared
the senator, "have not yet fully meas
ured the unparalleled and atrocious
character of the assault made by the
authors of the league covenant on
American institutions. A more sinister
gathering of men never threatened the
peace and safety of our country than
now demand that unlimited power
the lives and fortunes of the Ameri-
cans be surrendered into their keep
ing"
In revising the covenant of nations,
Mr.. Sherman said, the convention. at
Paris had improved only its grammati-
cal construction. - =, = 80
Again it must be accepted as it
flashed from the summit, where dwels
the incarnate wisdom. 1t has become
political plasphemy to question and
treason to try to understand. Both
the original and the amended league
impair. the sovereignty of this re-
public"