The sun., 1919-11-05
70 the Senate of the United states.

70 the Senate Of the United states.
In the long and heated discussion
pver the League covenant, delving to
ts remotest depths to find Its last
hidden meaning and with each side
10 the controversy marshalling its
forces for a fight to the finish, you
nave proceeded on the theory that
you had the right to settle this ques-
lion for the American people-the
right to ratify it or to refuse to
ratify 1t.
30 you have this right, techically
1.-THE right to do anything with 1t
Eou like. But have you the moral
fight to do anything with 1t you like?
THE Sun does not believe you have
fhis moral right in a situation obvi-
pusly never considered as possible by
he trainers Of the government who
designated the powers Of the United
States Senate. A treaty that would
mean the surrender of the indepen-
Hence Of the American nation to a
foreign Power clearly did not come
within the vision of our forefathers
Had 1t been so we may well assume
hat the injunction would have been !:
Take 1t back to the people for their
decision" But having fought for
and won a dearly bought indepen-
lence these ration builders were deaf
to voices in the air and dull of sight
In the matter Of seeing visions on the
horizon.
This particular brand Of treaty,
this Wilson league covenant is So
extraordinary in its conception, so
bold and revolutionary in its under
,akings, so viciously un-American that
It does not come within the scope Of
problems intended for the Senate's
sole decision.
In view of this conclusion 1t woult
indeed be assuming much for you
elected to the United States Senate
ut a time when this question was no
under consideration, in fact had nevel
been heard Of, to take 1t upon your
selves to decide whether we shall con
tinae to be a free Independent natlor
Or whether we shall surrender oul
sovereignty to superstate.
On a question having to do will
The life or death of the nation, ism
II matter for the nation itself t,
decide by the vote of the people wha
they wish done with their nation
Convinced that 1t is the right of tn
people themselves to decide the fat
Of this astounding treaty THE SUI
Is bound to urge that the presen
Senate has no moral right either t
ratify or to refuse to ratify 1t.
We are In the throes of an analo
gous situation brought on by the a:
sumption Of the various State Legis
latures that they had the moral a
well as technical right to ratlfy tn
Bone Dry Amendment, which the
proceeded to do without waiting 70
the expressed wish Of the people O
the nation. The question Of the Dir
amendment had not been an issue a
the time Of the election of the Legi,
latures in the various States. Conse
quently 1t is contended, and soundl
too, that the legislators of the State
ratifying that amendment went b,
yond their moral authority. The
had the technical authority to d
what they did do quite as you ha =
technical authority to do with tt
League treaty as you choose.
But in doing as they did the
raised the bitter resentment of a m,
jority Of our people who claim an
rightly claim that they had had 4
chance to be heard on the issue
claim that the ratifylng of the treat
by Legislatures chosen at a time whe
the dry amendment was not und,