Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1920-04-12
THE PEACE RESOLUTION
is WILSON'S OPPORTUNITY
II Opens the Way for Him Again to
Urge the Ratification OF
tho Treaty


jected by the Senate. The first time
the vote TO reconsider the rejection was
laid on the table and the treaty was re-
taincd by the foreign relations COM
mittcc This loft the President power
less to Interfere.
The second time the treaty. after
rejection. was returned to the Prcsl-
dent. This left further consideration
Of it by the Senate subject to his in
itiativc.
Now comes the House with rcsolu-
ton declaring the war at an end and
proyiding that tho United States or its
nationals shall have no dealings with
Germany or with the German people,
save by license of the President, unless
Germany agrees to oil the terms OF
the Versailles treaty protecting the
rights and claims Of Americans grow
ing ont of the war. The resolution
also insists that all the rights, privi-
| lcgcs. indcmnitips. reparations or ad-
yaptagcs TO which the United States
became cutitled under the armistice'
are still valid. and that all the fines.
| forfciturcs and penalties imposed by
the United States are confirmed and
ratified.
In other words. tho resolution ratlheS
the treaty without ratifying it. 1t is
an attempt to secure for the United
! States. acting alone, all the rights and
iudcmnitcS which Germany has been
induced to promise under the pressure
of the united effort of all the Allies
and associated nations represented IN
tho Paris Peace Conference.
But there is not word in II about
20 opcration with the other nations IN
the enforcement of the terms of the
treaty, and all reference to the League
of Nations is deliberately omitted. 1t
is a pusillanimous shrking of our in
ternational obligations in order to on
able us 70 profit by the efforts OF those
who fought the war with us.
The President could ask for no better
opportunity for rcopening the ratitica-
ton issue than would be afforded by
the submission Of this resolution to him.
OF course he will veto it. He can
not consistently consent to any such
shuffling evasions rs pervade its whole
structure. \ veto message calling at
tention TO what the resolution does
would afford him the opportunity 10
remind the Senate that the only logical
and self respecting course for this great
nation TO pursue lies in the ratification
of the treaty itself in regular form. with
its covenant establishing an intcrna
tional peace federation intrusted with
the duty Of seeing that the provisions
of the treaty are respected.
And he could send the treaty back 10
the Senate along with his veto message.
Then if he would pass the word TO his
friends in the Senate that they are free
to vote for any reasonable reservations
or interprcta tions made in good faith
the probabilities are that ratification
could be brought about in the near
future.
The nation favors ratification.
A majority of the senator's favor il.
: II it were not for the constitutions
provision requiring a two thirds vott
for ratification of treaties the agreement
r of the United States to the treaty woult
have been filed in Paris long ago ant
; our delegates would be sitting in th'
r council of the League of Nations.
It is the delay Of the United State
that is largely responsible for the pres
ent chaotic conditions in Europe. con
ditious growing worse every week ant
' tending no one knows whittier. Tn
League of Nations cannot function be
/ cause this country, the only solvent ma
5 ton among those which fought the war
e il not represented in it. 1t has beel
e waiting for us. and If we hold ourselve
. aloot the most feasible plan ever de
. vised for maintaining the peace of tn
E world will die aborning
Such a course a we have suggestc
cannot be adopted by the Presiden
without some modification Of his frc
, ouently expressed views. But this
5 a time for concession and conciliatiou
- The nations which have already rattle
G the treaty are willing to accept an
q reservations which we may make tha
n do not invalidate the document, fo
they are aware of the issues at stake
. They know that world solvency, politi
= cal as we'll as financial, depends on th
participation Of the United States
the work of rcadjustment to be con
Quoted by the league. And they kno
" better than we seem to do that politics
and financial bankruptcy in Europe wi
e react disastrously upon the Unite
- States.
~ At the present moment the initiati'
Is in the hands of the President.
he acts as we have suggested he wi
Ic nut the whole question up to the Senat
= once more with disposition to me,
ID that body half way. Then his skr
j. will be clear, whatever happens. II II
Senate paltcrs and piffles again it car
IN not escape the responsibility for Il
10 consequences
in This plan, if it succeeded, wou
l. take the league issue out of the ma
Mt tional presidential campaign, where
t. cannot be met with any defniteness
prccision. 1t would be confused wit
- half dozen other issues, so that no OF
Z could decide whether the people by the
~ votes had expressed themselves in fave
al of the treaty without the dotting of Q
a 'i'' or the crossing of "t' or wheth,
or they had Endorsed the Lodge reservs
tn tions.
.Ie For example, in this state Senate
oh Penrose will be elected, and his attitut
n on the treaty will not be considered
on a single voter He will be elected b,