The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1920-05-05
SEN. KNOX OPENS
. DEBATE ON JOINT
PEACE RESOLUTION
Charges Wilson Arbitrarily
Holds Nation at War in
Order to CoerCe Senate Into
Ratifying Versailles Pact.

W WASHINGTON, May 5.-Opening de-
pate on his resolution to declare the
state of war with Germany and Aus
tria at an end Senator Knox. Republ-
can, Pennsylvania. declared in the sen
ave today that President Wilson was
arbitrarily maintaining that the nation
technically was at war in order to
coercc the senate into ratifying the
treaty of Versailles.
lhere was no excuse whatever for
greatly prolonging the war beyond the
signature of the armistice" Senator
Knox said, and the only explanation
Tor so doing was the deliberate aim to
retain in all those autocratic cbmpul-
sorry powers with which the executive
mas been endowed for the prosecution
OF the war in order that they might be
used for other purposes.
The welfare and safety of the nation
i,mperatively demands that we know we
have peace. The whole world seethes
with revolution. Our own nation is in
terment and toll. Force and strife are
rampant and threaten the destruction
not only of our property but Of our
1ree institutions and even of our lives
And yet we stand, and have stood for
months, as a rudderless ship founder
ing In the trough of tremendous sea
We must not dare longer to delay
return to the order of government Of
peace; we must not hazard a further
postponement in turning our undivided
NS'ipNi dNlblo " hpiltt IIbDltHlb. lUtN
are great enough to tax the utmost wis
dom which we possess. AS a prelimi-
nary step, the executive must be re-
turned to his peace time powers and
prerogatives. Need, propriety, wisdom,
can not question this"
Declaring that he entertained only
sympathy for the president in his i'll
ness and sympathy for the country
which must suffer under him because
OF IT, Senator Knox said 1t was an
unwelcome task ITO judge one who has
fallen in public esteem"
He added, however that when danger
threatened the nation it must be met
forefronted- and that who ventured TO
intervene against the safe and wise
course must step aside or be crushed"
since he cruised to Europe to partici-
pate in the peace conference" con-
tinued the former secretary of state
leaves no chance for doubt that he
Will continue hereafter as heretofore
to thwart, so far as he is able, every
attempt on the part of the senate. the
or the people to take any ac-
tion, Immediately or remote, affecting
in however siighter degree, - Enough
change or modification, the provisions
of the treaty of Versailles as it came
to us fresh from his signature"
Launching into a 10000 word discus
sion of his resolution, the senator said
had the power to ''unmake"
any of its acts, consequently had the
power to repeal the resolutions declar-
ing a state of war with the imperial
German government and with the
hungarian empire.
There was a full attendance of SEN
atOrs when Senator Knox began his
address and the gallery was fairly we'll
filled.
Senator Underwood of Alabama, the
Democratic leader, took a seat near the
speaker and conferred Occa SiOnaIlv with
Senator Hitchcock of Nebraska. the ad-
leader in the peace treaty
fight, who took extensive notes for HIS
reply, expected next week