Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1919-08-29
KNOX URGES
us, To MAKE
LONE PEACE
Senator Favors Separate
Pact-"Terms Are Too
Hard on Germany"

Washington, Aug. 29.-Declaring
that the peace treaty can not be
enforced but will lay the founda-
ton for centuries of blood let
ting" Senator Knox of PennsyI-
vania, a Republican member of the
foreign relations committee. and
former secretary of state. told the
senate today that the United States
should decline to become a party
to the settlement signed at Yer
sailles, and negotiate a separate
peace with Germany
In its hard and cruel terms.
he asserted, the treaty imposed on
Germany penalties which violate
International law and eugender
strife He declared there was no
reason why the United States
should project itself into the dan
gers Of such a situation.
Must Refuse 1t Altogether.
The more ! consider this
treaty" said Mr. Knox. the more
| am convinced that the only safe
wav for, US to deal with IL is to
decline to be a party TO it at all.
II think we should renonnce 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 renounce all participation
or mem mbership in commissions,
committees, boards or otherwise
provided for in the treaty in the
aid of its execution, to which, by
its terms, we are parties. We
ought not 10 accept cessions of
German territory We ought to de-
clare a general policy to regard
with concern any threat of dis
turbance of general world peace,
but at the same time we should
reserve complete liberty Of action
either independently or in coDjUnc-
tion with other powers in taking
such steps as VIC determine wise
for preserving peace.
FavOrs More "Dignified- Way.
We ought then to carry out the :
spirit Of the act of 1915. which au- !
thorized the president to convene |
the nations of the world together I
10 establish a code Of international /
law, reduce armameuts to estab- I
lisb an International tribunal and .
90 as far as possible in the direc- /
ton of securing peace through JUS
hce, through league to which all /
the world are parties in its forma-
ton.
This would be a fitting. gener-
ous and dignifed exit from q situa-
Lion in which primarily we had no
1irect concern.
IT is indeed hard. cruel peace
hat this treaty stipulates. and
while ! have DO objections to it
being so. | see no reason why We
should partake in the spoils.
should become parties to harsh !,
ness and cruelty.
"I see no reason vhv We should
'e parties to imposing upon Ger
many a treaty whose terms, orr
regulators say, she will not be
lble TO meet; d treaty that robs
'ur ancient friend, China. in a way
lisapproved by our negotiators; a
reaty that lays the foundation for
of blood letting into
which We should not be drawn: a
reaty, that contrary to our own
fails to fix the amount of
to be paid. leaving that
'ast question to the whim of ma
ority Of a commission on repara-
ions, a treaty predicated upon the
ssertion that a stricken and help
ess world requires our counsel and
upport but leaves to the benefici-
.ries the decision as to the measure
nd character of the benefactions |
hey are to receive; a treaty with !
words presages our in |
-olvement in the eruptions of sup
ressed volcanic world conditions; {
treaty that would require US to I
nderwrite all the regional under
landings between nations recog- '
lied by the league. most of which -
re based upon oppression of weak '
ations, many of which are as vet :
ecret and undisclosed, and when I
isclosed might drive US TO acts of !
liustice similar to that in which G
be president felt himself compell- [
d to acquiesce in the case of {
hantung"
L. :. ShOuld Make Own Peace. /
Senator Knox said a state OF [
eace actually would be establish {
1 in the world as soon as three of l
1e great powers had ratified the
'eaty and the United States should
lake her own peace status COM I
lete by a concurrent resolution of
ongress.
Declaring the foreign relations n
had tried in vain to get d
nportant data relating to the L
'esty. the senator said the people
- last were waking to the true
sue as the facts about the Yer
lilles negotiations Leaked out" Il
%Quit Like We Entered S
Quoting President wilson's dec II
o
Continued on Page Five.)