The evening world. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1887-1931, 1920-05-03
Knox So Frames II That Veto
by President Is. Made
More Difficult.
AIMS TO AVOID ATTACK.
Simply Requests the President
to Start Negotiations for
New Treaty.
By DaUid Laurence.

Nopeoial Sorroaponoent Of The Eve
ming Worldly
! WARRINGTON. May copyright
is2O).-Neither President Wilson nor
the Democrats In the Senate who fol-
low his Leadership are particularly
pleased with the changes made by
Senator Knox in the resolution de-
clartng a state Of peace which was
passed by the Republican majority in
the House Of Representatives. but Il
is a fact that the Knox proposal is
leas Objectionable than It's predeces-
sor. and makes more difficult a veto
message from the White House.
Two courses OF action are being de-
bated by the Democrats-swAether to
centre their opposition on the Knox
= resolution and by continuous talk de-
lay action until after the two polit-
ical conventions next month have
nominated candidates for the Presi-
dency. or to let the resolution pass,
for the Republicans probably have
the voteS-and thus be able when
the conventions arrive to point out
that tho Joint resolution doesn't make
peace.
KNOX IN NEW RESOLUTION
TRIES TO OVERCOME CRITICISM.
Senator Knox. who was once an
Attorney General and a Secretary of
State Of the United States, reWrote
the Hous resolution with an eye TO
future criticism He recognised at
once that the Congress could not bind
the executive branch OF the Govern
ment as TO the kind Of treaty OF
peace It should negotiate, and that
It would be the simplest thing in the
world for President Wilson = to veto
the resolution and cite weighty prec-
edents 10 support his action.
SO after repeating all the war time
} legislation Of Q domestic character
and forbidding. moreover. the dis
position of the German property in
the United States taken by authority
Of the Trading With the Enemy Act,
another congressional privilege, the
Knox resolution would merely re
Quest the Presldent to open peace
negotiations with Germany.
In 80 far,alSo as the resolution de-
clares that the United States doesn't
waive any rights 10 the meantime,
which It might set undor the Treaty
OF Versailles, this too would merely
. be the expression Of an opinion by
Congress and would Of course not ac-
tually bind a foreign Government un-
less 30 notified by the executive
, branch Of the United States Govern
ment with whom II deals exclusively
In matters OF that kind. Congress-
cannot under our Constitution, enter
J into communication or NEGOTIATION
with foreign Governments.
ATTEMPTS TO MAKE VETO nv
{ PRESIDENT DIFFICULTY.
Thus, broadly speaking, President
. Wilson cannot veto the Knox rrsolu-
) tion merely because It expresses an
E opinion or requests him TO adopt n
certain course, And before the resolu-
tion Is finally passed by the Senate
y the fact that Congress "reauests'
Z rather than orders" the executive
a branch Of tho Government TO safe.
a guard all claims or rights which
e would otherwise come to US under the
4 treaty OF Versailles itself will be eun.
d phasized. and all constitutional O,
n technical objections 10 the Kno,
, resolution will have been removed.
o The President would have to ohoos,
e some general ground for vetoing tn,
Knox resolution. And his action woui,
be unprecedented He could say tha
: the Treaty OF Versailles is already fl
operation and that he believes il TO b.
~ the best compromiss agreement tha
can be obtained and a more advanta
~ geous pact to the United States thai
a. separate peace with Germany. II
nr could. moreover. refuse 10 neEotiat
to with Germany separately, arvuin
that II would be a violation az m
es terms OF the arInlstice agreemeu
Nv signed by all the associated puwera a
4, the basis OF peace and a Withdrawal .
M. our moral obligation to stand with m
VI Allies with whom we fought the war
Or. But uhe tAAk OF VetoinR a resolU
81 tion whose main action "a merely
~ repeal OF domestic legislation, and
~ request for a new treaty, is not goip
TO be an easy one for the PresideI
and the pernocrauc Party.
MAY RETURN THE TREATY A
ANSWER TO KNOX RESOLUTION
Indeed, House Democrats than
selves proposed a substitute re,oluti,
repealing wartime laws From n
Presidents viewpoint, II might be mo
comfortable not to sign the Joint res
luton at all, but allow II to becon
law after the lapse Of ten days aI
then to send back TO the Senate n
treaty OF Versailles as his defla
tSs answer To the request for a separ9
peace With Germany.
THIS would throw the whole ma
. ter into the campaign as the Pre-
dent on the one hand and Henai
Lodge on the other are eager TO ,
But the request for a "separa
peace with Germany" was denounc
~ by President Wilson on his WestC
trip and from the statement issu