New-York tribune., 1920-05-28
Asserts Proposal Adopt
ed by Congress Would
Surrender to Germany
Rights We Won in War
Big Treaty Aims
Omitted, He SAYS
His Reference to Freedom
of Seas Causes Laugh
ter Among Republicans


WASHINGTON, May 27.-Presi-
dent Wilson to-day vetoed the Knox
peace resolution recently passed by
Congress, without questioning that
body's right to establish peace by
resolution.
The President. in his veto mes
sage, declared that he was with
holding his signature because the
resolution would have surrendered
to Germany the rights secured bv
the United States in the war, and be-
cause, he said, if peace were estab-
llshed through the resolution, the
purpose for which the United States
entered the war would not be al.
tanned. -
Il have not felt at liberty to sign
this resolution" Che message said,
because | cannot bring myself to
become a party to an action which
,Tould place an ineffaceable stain
upon the gallantry and honor of the
United States
When the United States entered the
war, the President said, the purposes
for which this country contended were
clearly set forth. The resolution he
added, did not seek to accomplish any
Of those ends.
Not Even Mentioned in Treaty
Included in the list of war aims
enumerated by the President was the
freedom of navigation on the seas"
Nothing was said about the freedom,
OF the seas in the resolution, the Presi-
oent complained in giving his oojec-
tions to the peace measure
When that portion of the veto meas
ure was read in the House OF Repre-
sentatlves 1t was greeted with pre-
longed laughter from the Republican
side Of the chamber. Republican lead
9rs, IN commenting on the veto later.
called attention to the fact that the
principle of the freedom Of the seas
was discarded by the Pres dent himself
before the Paris peace negotiations
were well under way, and that it was
not provided for nor mentioned in the
Versailles treaty.
The veto message was sent to the
House of Representatives only, since
the peace resolution originated in that
branch of Congress. After it had been
read Chairman Porter OF the Foreign
Affairs Committee moved that action
on II be postponed until tomorrow.
Republican House leaders do not ex-
pect to pass the resolution over the
veto. They predict that it will receive
about the same vote as that by which it
finally passed May 21, 22S TO l39 with
eighteen Democrats voting for it.
About the same alignment is expected
tomorrow.
Should the House fail to pass it over
the Presidents veto the resolution vii.
be dead, and the United States will
continue in a technical state of war.
The message will not go to the Senate
unless the House should rep4ss it.
Text of Presidents Message
The Presidents message follows:
"To the House of Repre-
81 return. herewith, without my
signature, House Joint Resolution
327, intended to repeal the Joint res
olution of April 6, 1917, declaring a
state of war to exist between the
United States and Germany, and the
joint resolution of December 7, 1917,
declaring a state of war to exist
between the United States and the
Austro- Hungarian government and
to declare a state OF peace.
II have not felt at liberty to sign
this joint resolution because | cannot
bring myself to become party to an
action which would place inefface-
able stain upon the galiantry and
honor of the United States. The res
olution seeks to establish peace with
the German Empire without exacting
from the German government any
actlon by way OF setting right the
infinite wrongs which it did to the
peoples whom 1t attacked and whom
we professed it our purpose to as
slst when we entered the war
Deems Treaty Terms Adequate
Have we sacrificed the lives of
more than 100000 Americans and
ruined the lives OF thousands Of
others and brought upon thousands
OF American families an unhappiness
that can never end for purposes
winch w do not now care to state or
take fufther steps TO attain The
attainment of these purposes is pro-
vided for in the Treaty of Versailles
by terms deemed adequate by the.
leading statesmen and experts of all
the great peoples who were assoc-
ated IN the war against Germany,
DO we now not care to JOIN IN the
effort to secure them"
I'VE entered the war most reluc-
tantly. Our people were profoundly
disInclined to take part in a Euro
pean war, and at last die so, only
because they became convinced that
1t could not in truth be regarded as
only European war, but must be
regarded as a war in which civliza-
ton itself was involved and human
rights of every kind as against
belllgerent government. Moreover,
when we entered the war we set
forth very definitely the purposes
for which we entered. partly because
we did not wish TO be considered as
merely taking part in a European
contest.
Surrenders Rights of u. 8.
This joint resolution which | re-
turn does not seek to accomplish anv
OF these objects, but, in effect. makes
complete surrender of the rights
of the United States so ssr as the