The Mankato free press., 1920-05-07
RAPED WILSON POLICY
KNOX MADE VERY BITTER
SPEECH IN SENATE
CLAIMS BODY COERCED
President Charged With Main
tanning War Period For Auto
cratic Purposes
[Associated Press Dispatch. ]

ASSOCIATED Press Dispatch.
Washington, May s. -Discussion Of
the nations international relations
came to the fore again in the senate
today after lapse Of nearly seven
weeks. since on March 10. it failed
for the second time to ratify the
treaty Versailles.
Inauguration Of debate on the re-.
publican plan to end the state OF war
oy joint resolution OF congress was
the principal business on the calendar
today. Senator Knox, republican,
Pennsylvania, former secretary OF
state, announced he would call and
speak at length on his resolution to
terminate status Of war with both
Germany and Austria. The measure
was reported recently by the senate
foreign relations committee. by
resolution adopted by the house April
8. The house resolution proposed to-
repeal declaration Of war with Ger
many only. Senator Knox's address
was the only prepared speech to be
made today.
Remarks Are caustie.
Opening debate on his resolution to
declare the state of war with Ger
many and Austria at an end, Senator
Knox, declared that President Wilson
was arbitrarily maintaining that the
nation technically was at war In or
der, to coerce the senate into ratify-
ing the treaty Of Versailles.
There was no excuse whatsoever
for greatly prolonging the war be-
yond the signature of the armistice."
the senator said, "and the only rea-
SON for SO doing was the deliberate
aim to retain all those autocratic,
compulsory powers with which the
executive had been endowed for the
prosecution OF the war in order that
they might be used for other pur
poses.
Nation Demands Peace.
"The welfare and safety of the IA
tion demands that we nov 11lf
peace. The WhQle Xpfl ~ selt !.
reyolution j1 IA m NJ rs 81
yttaf DO stc0n event in fpSll Z5<s q
divided deliberations % our =
problems. As q preliminary step,
must be returned to hi
peace time powers, and prerogatives.
Need, propriety. wisdom, cannot ques
ton this"
Declaring that he entertained only
sympathy for the president In his i'll
ness and sympathy for the country
which must suffer under him bee .se
Of it." Senator Knox said it was an
l4 k4~ I'd -
has fallen in prhlic esteem" He
added, however, ,hat when danger
the nation 1t must be met
and that "he who ventur-
ed to intervene against the safe and
wise course must step aside or be
crushed"
Opposes Any Changes.
"The course of the president ever
since he cruised to Europe to parti-
cipate in the peace conference" con-
tinusd the former s;scretar sec Of state
will continue hereafter as heretofore,
to thwart, so far as he is able, every
on the part Of the senate, the
congress or the people to take any
action Immediately or remotely, af-
fecting in however slighter degree,
through changes or modification, the
provisions of the treaty of Versailles
as it came to us fresh from his sig
Senator Knox said it would be idle
to pass any resolutions looking to the
establishment Of peace
that did not contemplate the unquali-
fed acceptance of the treaty II that
resolution required from the presi-
dent the performance Of any act or
duty in order to secure peace. He
argued that If any resolution was to
be effective it would have to be self
operative.
cussion of his resolution the senator
said congress had the power to "un-
make" any of its acts and conse-
Quently had the power to repeal the
resolutions declaring state of war
with the Imperial German govern
ment and with the Austro- Hungarian
empire.
Pointing out that the war declara-
tion by congress was directed against
the Imperial German government.
Senator Knox said that government
had caused to exist, and with it the
enemy named by congress. He ar
gued further that the war SO far as
the United States was concerned, was
ended by the silent cessation" of
hostilities.
World Is At Peace.
Supporting his contention that in
the nation actually and
legally is at peace, the senator dis
cussed the terms and effect OF the
declaring that by this
document Germany has conceded
He contended also that
of the treaty Of Yer
sailles by Germany and the allies
made peace for the United States.
There is everywhere outside Of the
United States itself. with. all of the
great powers including ourselves
(save only Russia), peace from the
recent conflict" said the senator.
"The powers say it, the Germans
say it."
Having thus In law and In fact in
peace. having nothing left
but domestic status of war created
by an executive declaration of war,
with no hostilities. heretofore or now
exist or possible in the territory over
which, this paper status exists, 1t is
not only legally sound. but economic
ally morally, and patriotically nee
essary and indispensable that we at
once repeal the declaration of war
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