Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1919-07-14
OPENING SHOT IS FIRED IN
DEFENSE OF LEAGUE PACT
DRAW THREE RESOLUTIONS
Actual Battle for U. S.
Approval of the Treaty
Gets Under Way.

Washington, July 14.-After
weeks of preliminary discussion
and maneeuvering, the actual fight
over ratification of the peace treaty
with its league of nations covenant
began today in the senate.
The foreign relations COMMITTEES
began consideration of the treaty at
a session which may bring action
on several collateral issues iuclud-
ing the question whether the pres
ident will be invited to appear and
be questioned. In the senate cham
Der the debate for ratification was
opened by Senator Swanson, Demo
crat of Virginia.
Reports Three Resolutions.
The senate foreign relations COM
mittee, beginning consideration to-
day of the peace treaty, reported
three minor resolutions bearing on
the Versailles negotiations, but took
no action on the question of asking
President Wilson to take part in
committee discussion, of the treaty.
The resolutions reported would
call upon the president and the
state department for information
regarding the alleged secret treaty
between Japan and Germany; re-
garding a protest said to have been
made by General Bliss, Secretary
Lansing and Henry White. against
the Shantung settlement; why
Costa Rica was not permitted" TO
sign the peace treaty.
Before the committee Senator
Hitchcock of Nebraska, senior
Democratic member, conferred with
President Wilson by telephone. The
conversation was understood to
have concerned the questiaon Of
Mr.. Wilson's appearance before the
committee.
Discuss Treaty Tomorrow.
Members of the foreign relations T.,
committee said practically all of the
two hours meeting was taken up
with the consideration of these
resolutions, and that there was no
discussion as to inviting the presi-
dent to meet with the committee or
Of the proposal to separately con-
slider the peace terms and the
league of nations covenant Detail
ed discussion of the treaty probably
will begin when the committee
meets again tomorrow.
Immediately after the committee
adjourned debate on actual ratihca-
tion of the treaty, begun in the
senate, Senator Swanson of Vir-
ginia, a Democrat member Of the
committee. opening with a speech
praising the league covenant as the
only possible plan for preserving
world tranquility.
Swanson Defends League.
Praising the league Of nations
covenant as zone OF the worlds
greatest documents Senator Swan
son of Virginia, a Democratic mem
Der of the foreign relations commit
tee, told the senate today that IL tho
United States rejected the league
il would mean that she would
skulk in the greatest world crisis
that ever occurred"
The speaker defended the league
against the objections that it would
sacrifice sovereignty and American
traditions and asserted that on the
contrary it would result in immense
material gain in protecting Amer
clan integrity and preventing war.
He declared it would not create q
super government, involve obiec-
tionable obligations nor iuvaidate
the Monroe Doctrine
Path of Duty Plain.
1.-THE pathway of our duty IS
plain" said Senator Swanson. let
us not be frightened by our own
prodigous shadow as it projects it
self into world affairs Let US not be
deferred from our manifest duty
and destiny by a crazen fear OF be-
coming great in giving service and
direction to a world in a direst hour
OF its needs and distress"
Pointing out that the war had
shaken the social order to its fOun-
dation, the Virginia senator said it
was the paramount obligation Of re-
sopnsible statesmen to prevent an
other such conflagaration. which
would return the world to "a rule
Of brute force and barbarism OF the
dark ages"
ASSISTANTS Views Wrong.
~The covenant Of the league has
been assailed from two opposite
he continued, "'the league
will neither be a superstate nor
nor n helpless, powerless
association of nations. The instru-
ment creating the league is a coy
enant' entered into by sovereign
states. One ofs the attributes of
sovereignty is the ability 20 make
or agreements. That "a
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