The Hartford republican. (Hartford, Ky.) 18??-1926, 1920-05-28
EDITORIAL COMMENT

tty and the senate listens Whetnel
or not IL follows his leading. His
speech on the League of Nations
covenant and his later analysis and
excoriation of the peace treaty and
his speech for which his peace reso.
luton serves as a text for examina-
ton of the whole subject, are far and
above the three greatest deliverances
that this long discussion of the
wars aftermath has called forth.
Gas a matter of law, Senator
Knox contends that peace already ex-
lists between the United States and
Germany Everyone knows that this
is true as a matter of fact. Mr..
Knox demonstrates conclusively that
peace is established by international
law. We have only an artificial do
nestle status of war, created by Leg
islative acts. 1t is only necessary to
repeal these acts and thereby to end
the despotic power which they confer
on the president, to give this country
peace at home as we'll as abroad.
The adoption of the Knox resolution
will do this.
eff we are at peace in law as well
as in face, the war powers conferred
upon the President are no longer con-
stitutionally exercised by him. This
is Senator Knox's contention. The
keeping alive the fictions of war can
serve no other purpose than to keep
the President invested with powers
that do not attach to him when the
country is at peace. "-Philadelphia
Press.
Senator Knox's speech will take
rank with the notable expositions of
constitutional principle which enrich
our parliamentary records. 1t ans
wers every question raised by the
Executives unwarranted assumption
of power to keep the country out Of
peace until peace shall be concluded
under the exact conditions prescrib-
ed by his individual will. No more
arrogant pretension was ever attempt
ed by a self-determined autocrat. 1t
is now met and disposed of with the
lucid logic of a great lawyer, in the
temperate language of a statesman
capable Of restraining his wrath IN
der circumstances naturally prOvoca-
tive of patriotic indignation.
1.-The war shall not end, says Pres
dent Wilson, until the Congress and
the country accept unchanged my
treaty, my covenant, my League of
Nations, my program of information
alism."
1.-THE war is at an end already"
replies Senator Knox, without re-
gard to your treaty, your covenant,
your League of Nations or your pro-
gram of internationa!ism. And he
tells the President why we-are legally
and in fact at peace.
The war has ended, legally, be-
cause the so-called armistice of No
vember II, 1918, was in fact a
capitulation and not merely a truce.
The authorities on International law
recognize the capitulation or surren-
der of one of the contrasting parties
as constituting in fact the termination
of hostilities, without regard to the
formal negotiations for nominal
peace. That this was President Will
sons own construction of the effect
of the armistice is proved beyond
the possibility of doubt by his Of
fetal utterances eighteen months
ago. New York Sun
I'm his address Senator Knox does
not shut his eye to the fact that his
resolution, to be of use, must be-
come law. THE resolution" he ac-
knowledges, 'to be effective must be
self-operative. Yet as long as one
third of either house of Congress sus-
tains the President in his policy of
obstruction how is it to become self
operative?
Senator Knox does not suggest I'M
parchment, although what he says in
dicates he believes improbable Of
lenses have been committed He is
aware the President will be out of Of
flee before a trial could be held. Nor
does he express hope of being able
to command the votes to override a
veto. So in one sense the speech is
barren. A lawyer is not expected or
required to consider the actualities
of a situation. 1t is enough for him
to establish the truth But a states
man must take into consideration
not merely what should be done,
but what it is possible to d0>-New
York Tribune.