Capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1919-1980, 1920-03-20
PEACE TREATY DEAD.

PEACE TREATY DEAD.
The League of Nations dead-as far the United States
concerned killed by the republican majority of the senate by It's
final rejection of the treaty after using as political loot
ball for partisan purposes for over year.
Senator Lodge the republicans under his leader
ship had any intention of rayng the treaty of Versailles
Instead they framed treaty Of their which has also failed
The republicans intended to ratfy the League
of Nations As substitute they offered new covenant
which the United States to all the benefits and share
of the responsibilities league with Uncle Sam as p
eyed partner
The final substitute for Article Of the League Nations
covenant adopted substitute for the original Lodge reseva
ton declared that the United States assumed neither legal
moral obligation to protect other nations against aggression
the of the army the navy the economic boycott
other forms Of economic discrimination American resources in
preserving the peace of the world
This reservation efeetualy nufed American participation
the league and served notice Europe that the United States
would not be party preserving in protecting
peoples from imperialstc schemes of aggrandzemen
Responsibility for the death of the treaty rests upon Senator
Lodge and his following They never intended to agree upon
reservations acceptable to the president They planned to mu
the treaty order compel the president to reject iand
then throw the blame upon him.
upon the treaty began year ago when 81 repub
can senators signed round robin declaring to be the
of the senate that he constitution of the League Of Nations
the form proposed the Peace Conference should not be
accepted by the United States No amendments suggested
and suggestions offered In debate following Lodge plain
ntmated that nothing done in Paris would be acceptable and
much later declared that not the league but President
Wilson he was after
drafted by democratic president and hence entirely unacceptable
to republican senateand amount of changes would have
made it acceptable.
The president is criticised for his uncompromsng attitude
but all he has done to ask the ratification of treaty of
that all the other begerents and most neutral nations have rat
flied He has pleaded for the acceptance of of the
League of Nations which all associated with the
United States and eleven of the thirteen nations invited on
have accepted He has protested only against amendments and
reservations Duyng the spirit of the covenant of nations
Europe is left to bleed slowly to DEATH banruped by war;
bdened by taxation oppressed by amaments and cursed by
mtas prey to revivng Imperialism while the nation
powerful enough to enforce and preserve democracy washes
its hands of world affairs because the senate learned nothing
from war that cost ten million lives and 300 billion of treasure
and played politics with peace.
The reactonay senate has overpayed its hand Deaf
the voice of the people well blind to the appalling need of
humanity it has forced peace and the League Of Nations into
politics and presented vital issue that will create ragnment
OF the people and confusion of parties and dscredng poll
ticians in the coming campaign.
The people and not the senate have the final say What the
people want they will eventually and if the American
pie favor League Of Nations not reaconay senate can
long thwart their desires.