Evening star., 1919-08-29
Says Versailles Treaty
"lays Foundation for Gen.
turies of Blood Letting"
CRITIClSES THE TERMS
IMPOSED UPON GERMANY
Republican Statesman Believes
"Only Safe Way" for United
States Is in Rejection.

Declaring that the peace treaty
cannot be enforced. but will lay the
foundation "for centuries of blood
letting" Senator Knox of Pennsylva-
mia, republican member of the for
eign relations committee and former
Secretary of State, told the Senate
today that the United States should
decline to become a party to the set
tlement effected at Versailles and
should negotiate a separate peace
with Germany.
In it's hard and cruel terms. he
asserted, the treaty imposed on Ger
many penalties which violate inter-
national law and engender strife. He
declared there was no reason why the
United States should project itself
into the dangers of such situation.
Points to "Only Safe Way"
THE more 1 consider this treaty"
said Mr.. Knox. the more l am con-
vinced that the only safe way for
us to deal with it is to decline to be
q party to it al ALL o.
II think we should renounce III Ia
vor 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 membership in COM
missions. committees. boards or Soth-
erwise provided for in the treaty in
aid of its execution to which bv its
terms we are parties. We ought not
to accept cessions of German terri
tory. We ought to declare a general
policy to regard with concern any
threat of disturbance of general world
peace, but at the same time we should
reserve complete liberty of action.
either independently or in conjunc-
tion with other powers, in taking
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-
thorized the President to convene the
nations of the~world together to es-
tablish a code of international law,
reduce ornaments. to establish an in
ternational tribunal and go as far as
possible in the direction of securing
peace through justice, through a
league to which all the world are
parties in its formation.
"Fitting, Generous and Dignified."
This would be a fitting, generous
and digniaed exit from a situation in
which primarily we had no direct
concern.
1T is indeed hard and cruel peace
that this treaty stipulates. and have
no objections to it's being so, but see
no reason why we. who do not par
take in it's spoils, should become par
ties to its harshnesH and cruelty
, IT 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
negotiators; treaty that lays the
foundation for centuries of blood let
ting into which We should not be
drawn; a treaty that, contrary to our
won judgment, fails to fix the amount
of indemnity to be paid, leaving that
vast question to the whim of a ma
jority of a commission on repara-
tons; treaty predicated upon the as
sertion that a stricken and helpless
world requires our counsel and sup
Hort, but leaves to the benefciaries
8he decision as to the measure and
Character of the benefactions they are
to receive; a treaty that with omi-
nous words presages our involvment
in the eruptions of suppressed vol
Sanic world conditions; a treaty that
would require US to underwrite all
she regional understandings between
nations recognized by the league most
of which are based upon Oppression
of weaker nations. many of which
are az yet secret and undis-
closed, and when disclosed might drive
us to acts of injustice similar to that
in which the President felt himself
compelled to acquiesce in the case of
Shantung."
How Peace May Be Attained.
Senator Knox said a state of peace
actually would be established in the
world az soon as three of. the great
powers had ratified the treaty. and
that the United States should make
her own peace status complete by a
concurrent resolution of Congress.
Declaring the foreign relations
committee had tried in vain to get
important data relating to the treaty.
the senator said the people at last
were waking to the true issue as
tiations leaked out
Little by little" he continued, "they
are bringing divulgence of the facts
connected with the treaty and they
may now hope finally to see the whole
Of the great gaunt tragedy into which
those whom they had charged with
protecting them were about to be-
tray them.
"What is it about these things that
the people cannot know? What is
thCAO " iiioC AiOfii tHcLh. IuuSC we
take this thing. as the German peo-
pie must take it. insight and un-
seen? Are we to be no more adyan-
tagged than our fallen enemies?"
Quotes President Wilson.
Quoting President Wilson's declara-
tions in 1917 that the purpose of the
United States in the war was to over
throw German autocratic power and
leave the German people free to
choose their own way of life" the
senator said that with the signing OF
the armistice, I'VE had achieved the
full purpose for which we entered
the war" and should have quit the
war as we entered 1t. still free and
independent, masters of our own des-
tiny"
Senator Knox paid a tribute to the
service rendered the nation by citi-
gems of German ancestry, who fought
gladly, he said in the hope that their
kinsmen in Germany would bene-
ft in the end Instead, he said, peace
conditions had been imposed which
the German people never could full
hll
Mentioning that Russia was not in.
cluded in the peace settlement, he
continued:
Foresees Germany's Activity.
'Think you Germany-smarting an6
staggering under the terms of thi,
<CoDfipuad nm Savepth Do ool