Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1920-03-18
.H00vERPuTS
INAw0RDT TO
.SAvE7REATY
Holds Reservations Not
Fatal and Wilson Can
Accept Them.

New York, March 1S.-Herbert
Hoover, in statement today, advo-
Gates early ratification of the peace
treaty so long as the final form
gives US freedom of action and
room for constructive development
Of peace" and with reservations
which should satisfy the most tim
i'd as to entanglements." The state
ment was issued, it was explained,
in response to a request of the
Washington Star for his views on
the subject.
Mr.. Hoover expressed the belief
that the reservations do not de-
stroy the possibility of the creation
of a potent organization to mitigate
the dangers in front of us and the
alternatives are continuation of
our state of war for another year
or the unthinkable thing. for us to
make a separate peace after we
have gone so far as to agree on its
main lines with comrades in arms"
Wilson Should Accept.
Despite the feeling Of President
Wilson and his associates that the
strength of the league is somewhat
undermined" by the reservations,
Mr.. Hoover expressed the opinion,
they should also accept them"
Due to the "unsettlement and 9TH
er causes that the league would
mitigate" he continued. "the world
is steadily drifting back to a worse
state of international antagonisms
than existed before 1914. The ma
val strength of every great nation,
except the enemy and Russia, has
been increased during the war.
Many great armies have been de-
mobolized. yet the world is again
engaging in preparedness and the
actual number Of men Under arms
today is much larger than before
1914 No moderating infiu.
ences can be set up until we come
to conclusion and Join the league
that was created at our inspiration
and upon which the entire theme of
settlement-our real hope of a bet
ter world-revOlves.
Is Foundation of Peace.
"The president seems to feel that
the foundations of the league rest
upon our participating, subject to
, approval of congress on use of
force. in an obligation to preserve
the territorial integrity and politi-
cal independence of its members
against aggression. Without enter
ing upon this method of prevention
Of aggression, / believe a great
foundation of peace does lie in the
continuous functioning of a body OF
great international representatives
sitting outside the pettiness of day
to day international relations en-
gagged upon conciliation. the miti-
cation Of antagonism, the very ef-
fective boycott of disturbers through
arousal of public opinion against
them and through it the immediate
undertaking of disarmament of the
world to simple defensive foot
ing"
Mr.. Hoover points out that in
case the treaty failed of ratifica-
ton, citizens of the United States
would have no right in Germany
or Austria. and we would have no
! proper equality in trade with a
large portion of Europe.
Lack Voice in Own Affairs.
The United States need not be
involved in scores Of treaty COM
! missions dealing with purely Eu-
ropean matters" he said, yet the
reparation commission, the most
powerful economic body in the
world, is conducting without our
| veto, a control that affects our
+, trade. Naturally, with us out
side the treaty, We must expect the
commission to at least neglect our
"In my view the soul of the
league as an influence to the pre-
vention of war may have died in
world antagonism long before we
can come to our presidential elec-
ton. The league is of course, al
rady in actual being among the
other members. 1t can not, how.
ever, become a real beneficient
force unless it contains the support
of all the great powers. and this
can only come about by our en-.
trance"
Prepare for Last Vote.
Washington. March 1S.-One aft.
er another the senate today voted
down proposed reservations to the
peace treaty.
A grist of about dozen reser.
vations was to be disposed of dur.
ing the. day under an agreement tc
limit debate and put the resolution
of ratification in final form for q
vote tomorrow.
Meantime renewed attacks were
made on the administration lineur
opposing ratification with the Re
publican reservations ALREADY
adopted. but there was not much
hope in any quarter that enough
Democrats to ratify would breal
away from President Wilson's rec.
concentrations.
| ALFONSO To R0RnP