Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1920-06-25
hbOVER ASKS6. O.P.l
/. TO UPHOLD TREATY.
Proposes Polioyof Speedy Rati-
fication With Article x
Eliminated @
WOULD CUT ARMAMENTS

>.u yori, June 25. 5.---Speedy ratifi-
sotion of the treaty .of Versailles, after
tho elimination Of Article y of the.
Iooo,o NJ Nations covenant was urged
~ fIcrbert c. Hoover Vim q statement
up!s,hiisbed TODAY in the New York Eve
,,;nc Post as the platform on which the
penublican party should stand in the
con,inr presidential election. ~
NIr Hoover took the stand that the
;r,nlicd threat of employment Of mill
torv force 10 guarantee the integrity of
torcion states was out of place in a
/. Ioag,,c which he declared was .'the
nroduct. OF the liberal ideals OF the
world :" The leagues power. he de-
carcd. would be more potent u the
threat Of military force were removed
and the league relied wholly on its
"moral and economic power
at appears. to me to be time to raise
Tho question: said Mr.. Hoover. ''as
70 whether this same cause-I refer to
tbe guarantees and the use of military
force-that has brongbt about the dis
scnsion in the United States us not also
undermining the league in Europe. |
mt IL to the friends Of the league in all
countries, Has not experience and dis
cussion shown that the time has arrived
70 reconsider this part Of the league
foundation?' ~ ~
Wants Armaments Reduced
The basic need for such a military
alliance" as he sees in the league cove
nant with Article y intact. Mr.. Hoover
ponted out, was to control states which
pcrsN in armament which renders them
menace to the world d.
While he. expressed the belief that
economic measures eventually would
prevail even against, such states. he de-
clarpd ''the first and foremost duty of
the league was reduction of all arma-
mcnts. and he suggested that Americas
continuance as league member be
conditional on the achievement of re-
ducton within "A specified time.
Mr.. Hoover declared that sooner or
later the United States must ratify the
treaty of Versailles in some form, and
that talk of negotiating new treaty
was bunk. . ..-. .- .'.....
''The treaty of Versailles" he said
"s the charter. of independence of
Poland. Czecho- Slovakia and Finland,
aud the warrant of national increakcd
territory of several great nations. and
they are not going to reopen discussion
rs to their titles. 1t is the guarantee
of the disarmament Of four great autoc-
racics. and no European nation is going
to risk their revival. 1t is mortgage
upon the enemy states, and they are not
going to offer the opportunity to. Ger
many. Austria, Hungary, Turkey and
Bulgaria to escape their. debts by in
triguc at new peace conference.
Covenant Essential Part
"Thc League of Nations covenant il
an essential part of the treaty. 1t does
possess two functions-first. il gives
the title to mandates it today governs
certain neutralized areas: il ramifes
the score Of details Of settlement with
enemy states Its second function is
its provisions for prevention of future
wars. The first phase can no more be
reopcncd than tho treaty itself. The
second function relates to the future
and is subject to- amendment: it can
be amended by the league organization
itself. -, ~. "
I'm the face of these conditions" he
concluded %cannot the Republican
party strengthen its own position by
adopting the definite conservative policy
Of ratification subject to the minor
reservations and wider vision Of
strengthening the league by excluding
the guarantees aud their military en-
forcement and making membership in'I
the league conditional disarmament
within given period?
''Such policies will protect American |
independence. free us from every en-
tangrmcnt. except the use of our moral
aud economic strengthsto enforce peace.
1t will leave our Democratic friends
fencing upon the ground of advocacy of
practical military alliance upon which
their safety devices only further en-
danger the real value of tho league.