Evening star., 1920-03-18
RAT|FY THE TREATY
ASST NOW STANDS,
I ADVICE Of HOOVER
Thinks Senate Reservations
Should Satisfy All Who
Feared for America.
DO NOT DESTROY CHANCE
OF GOOD IN THE LEAGUE
United States Will Suffer, He
Fears, If Peace With Germany
Is Longer Delayed.


In an interview given exclusively
to The Star today. Herbert HooNe:
expresses belief that the peace treaty
should he ratified without further de-
lay. Because of the critical situation
which has been reached in the Sen
are's consideration of the treaty and
the keen public interest which has
been evidenced in the opinions of the
former food administrator, The Star
asked him for an expression of his
views of the INSTRUMENT as 1t now
stands with the Senate reservations
attached.
In response to the direct inquiry,
Mr.. Hoover said:
"Regardless of what any of us may
think should have been the provisions
of either the league or the treaty.
we and the world should not be kept
waiting longer for settlement. The
whole process of peace has been nee
essarily one of compromises. and so long
as the final form gives US freedom
of action and room for constructive
development of peace l believe it
should be accepted.
Thinks President Should Accept.
The reservations should satisfy the
most timid as to entanglements. and
despite the feeling of the President
and his associates that the strength of
the league is somewhat undermined, L
believe that they should also accept.
] do not believe that the reservations
destroy the possibility of the creation
n
the dangers in front of US, and the al
ternativeS are continuation of our
state of war for another year or the
unthinkable thing for to make a
separate peace after we have gone so
Tar as to agree in its main lines with
our comrades in arms
.Due to this unsettlement and other
causes that the league would miti-
gate. the world is steadily drifting
back to q worse state of International
antagonisms than existed before 1914.
The naval strength of every great
nation except the enemy and Russia
has been increased during the war
Many great armies have been demob-
iIized, yet the world is again engaged
in preparedness, and the actual num-
ber of men under arms today is much
larger than before 1914. The worlds
total armament and the military ex-
penditure is larger, despite the bur-
den of grinding debt.
mo moderating influences can be set
up until We come to a conclusion and
Join the league that was created at our
inspiration and upon which the entire
theme of settlement our real hope of
better world rcvolves
The President seems 10 feel that the
foundations of the league rest upon our
participating tsubject to approval of
Congress on use of forcc) IN an obli-
CATION to preserve the territorial integ-
;n6c nr
members against aggression.
Without entering upon this meth
nations become aggressive largely
Heve a great foundation of peace does
lie in the-continuous functioning Of
a body of great International repre-
sentatives sitting outside the petit
ness Of day-to- day international re-
1ations. engaged upon conciliation the
mitigation of antagonism. the very ef-
fective boycott of disturbers through
arousal of public opinion against them
and through it the immediate under
taking of disarmament of the world
to simple defensive footing.
This war surely demonstrates that
nations become aggressive largely
through the permanent military class
that grows out of the maintenance of
large armies and navies with all the
social. political, commercial and propa-
ganda pressures that naturally spring up
around them. Military groups in these
days always go into action on the claim
Of self-defense, and to none of them is
aggression held in check against So
called military necessity. Their view of
political independence is boundaries of
purely military character, itself a basis
of friction. A reduction of armament
would directiy lessen the influence of
these groups who are themselves the cul-
tivators of war.
Vital Issue to America.
This question Of disarmament is a
vital issue to us. We are dependent
upon our foreign trade for much of
our prosperity and employment The
naval and military strength of the
world is concentrated in fewer hands
today than in 1871. If there be the
league sitting in development of
methods of peace. in moderation and
socalization Of possible conflict / have
no doubt that the great ma joritv of
the British. French and Italian people
will be themselves the first to :.pproye
Of reduction Of naval and other ar
mament, FOR they. too. are suffering
under its burden.
IF we secure no safety by
disarmament we must tax ourselves a,
couple or billions Il year and enter a
race of preparedness and build I'D a
military caste Of our own 1t is not
worth entering the league with the
determination to az once test its value
ON the reduction OF armament to a
real defense basis within "A fueasur-
able time before We enter this rae.
with no goal but misery and danper2''
'There are other great practical is
sues Wh'cis should he considered he
fore we clos" our only door to the
Immediate solution Of this situation
If the treaty fails Of ratification now
IL apparently must be kept on IN.
American stage for a year until the
next administration, in which case
we remain legally at war with Ger
many. or. NalternatIVcIy W., must
make a separate peace.
IF the first course is adsnteI ,ur
citizens would have no right in Ger
many or Austria. our PASSPORTS un,,ld
not run there W. would b,v. no
proper equality in trade with a large
portion OF Europe. We do not need
TO be involved in scores of trestv
commissions dealing with purely Eu-
ropean matters.
ReparnffOh commission Powerful
yet the reparation commission is
an accomplished fact and is the most
powerful economic body in the world
II is today conducting, without our
veto, a control that affects not only
our trade in Europe. but many other
interests highly important to us
closer TO home Naturally with us
outside the treaty must expect the
interests. All of our war Legislation
would still continue as ready weapon
for administrative use We must be
forced TO go on with our military
budgets TO meet the growing dangers