Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1919-09-06

''ttlitIi II ltoDtIlS ana ltcN. JOnn
j.. Thomas, pastor Of Ebcnczcr Bapt.
list Church. Tho evening was an en-
iovarlc ono and a large number were
present.
KNOX nENOUNCES TREATY As
BiiiNH HARD AND Ci;tEL.
Declares America Should Refuse To
bc Party TO Alleged Oppressive
Compact.
MEANS MORE BLOoDSHED.
Pennsylvania Makes Plea for Ger,
many, Saying United States Should
BE No Guarantor of Enforcement
of Harsh Conditions.
Washington, August 29.-Dcc.ar-
ing that the peace treaty cannot be
enforced but will lay the foundation
FOR centuries of blood letting" Scna
tor Knox OF Pennsylvania, Il Rcpubli
can member Of the Fore. gn Relations
Committee and former Secretary OF
State, told the Senate today that the
United States should decline to be
come party to the settlement effect
cd at Versailles and should ncgot late
separate peace with Germany.
In its "hard and cruel terms, he
asserted, the treaty imposed OH Ger,
many penalties which violate inter
national law and cngcndcr strife. lie
declared there was no reason why
the United States should project ii
self into the dangers of such situa
ton.
''rhe more l consider this treaty
sa d Mr.. Knox, the more l am con
WINGED that the only safe way for us
60 deal with it is to decline to be Il
party to it at all.
SHOULD HENOUNCE ALL CLAIMS
Il think we should rcnouncc in
favor Of Germany any and all claims
for indemnity because OF the war
and see that she gets credit for what
we renounce. We ought to rcnounce
all participation or membership in
commissions, committees. boards or
otherwise provided for in the treaty
in aid Of it's execution to which by
its terms we are parties. We ought
not to accept ccsSonS Of German
tern itory. We ought 10 declare Il gen
cral policy to regard with concern
any threat of disturbance of general
world peace, hut at the same time
we should reserve complete liberty
OF action either independently or in
conjunction with other powers in talk
ing such steps as we determine wise
for preserving the peace.
I'VE ought then to carry out the
spirit of the act of 1916 which au
thori2cd the Pres dent to convene the
nations OF thc world together to cs
tahlish code of International law,
reduce ornaments to establish an in
,crnational tribunal and go as far as
possible in the direction Of securing
peace through justice through u
league to which all the world are
parties in its formation.
"rhis would be fitting, generous
and dlgnificd cXit from a situation
in which, primarily We had no direct
concern.
II is indeed a hard and Lluel
peace that this treaty stipulates and
| have no objections to its being so,
but see no reason why we who do
not partakc in its spoils should be
come parties to it's !harshness and
cruelty.
| see no reason why we should be
parties to imposing upon Germany a
treaty whose terms our negotiators
say, she will not be able to meet; a
treaty that robs our ancient friend,
China in way disapproved by our
negotlators; treaty that lays the
foundation for centuries of blood let
ting, into which we should not be
drawn; treaty that, contrary to our
own Judgment, fails to fix the amount
OF indemnity to be paid, leaving that
vast qeuStion to the whim of a major
ity OF commission on reparations;
treaty predicated upon the asser
ton that stricken and helpless
world requires our counsel and sup
port but leaves to the beneficiariers
the decision as to the measure and
character OF the benefactions they
are to receive; treaty that, with
ominous words presages our involve
ment in the eruptions Of suppressed
volcanic world conditions, treaty
that would require us to underwrite
all the regional understandings be.
tween nations recognized by the
league. most Of which arc based up
on oppression Of weaker nations.
many Of which are as yet secret and
nndisclosed and when disclosed might
drive us to acts Of injustice similar
to that in which the President felt
himself compelled to acquicscc in the
case Of Shantnng"
SHOULD MAKE OWN PEACE
STATUS.
Senator Knox said state of peace
actually would be established in tho
%