The evening Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1918-1920, 1920-01-28
Would Have Soldiers
Vote On Peace Treaty
Continued from page u

Continued from page ~
they arrived at the brave, but honest,
conclusion that they could not give
their unconditional advice and con-
sent to ratification and remain obedi-
ent to their oath of office. They
therefore refused their unconditional
advice and consent to the ratification
of the unamended treaty:
Because the treaty conflicted
alike with the letter and the spirit
of the Constitution.
2 Because the treaty emasculated
the Declaration of independence.
Because the treaty abandoned
the policy of Washington.
4 because the treaty scrapped the
Doctrine of Monroe.
5 Because the treaty sacrificed
the self-respect of the Government
and people of the United States. vio-
lated their conscience, insulted their
common sense, and blutally betrayed
the blood and treasure of their pos
terity.
Instead of amending the treaty by
striking out its offensive and Offend
ing sections and sending the amended
treaty back to aPris in its amended
form for amendment by the other
signatories, the senator's who were
unwilling to accept it as it was sub
mltted, agreed upon compromise of
procedure. Their compromise took
the form of IA reservations. These
were adopted by majority of the
Senate and were embodied in a reso-
luton of conditional ratification for
which a majority of the Senate voted
at the last session. These reservations
went far toward purging the treaty
of its anti-American provisions, to-
ward making the treaty safe for the
American people at present and in
the future, toward Amelicanizing the
treaty's tone and terms. Their effect
was to amend the treaty for America
by eXempting America from the OPP
Grafton of the obnoxious sections.
The reservations left the treaty intact
however, for the other signatories. |
They did not require the resubmiss
sion of the treaty to the Peace con-
ference, but only the individual &C
ceptance of, or acquiescence in, the
IA American points by the other prin-
cipal signatories.
Senators of both parties, hailing |
from States in every section of the
country, joined in formulating the re-
servations. They bear the name of |
Senator Lodge because he is chair |
man of the Committees on Foreign |
Relations, which recommended them |
to the Senate, and because the sol
emily declared them to be "the ire
ducible minimum" of conditions to |
the Senate's advise and consent to |
They are to America, and |
have been from the day of their adop-
ton by the majority of the Senate, |
what the River Marine was to France !
Senator Lodge stands where Marsha
Joffre stood. A majority of the Sen /
ate stand where the French army |
stood. Upon these reservations there ,
can be no compromise that changes |
their meaning, unless there is COM
promise that surrenders the safe |
guards that they set up. From these |
reservations there can be no retreat /.
by Senator Lodge or any other sena-
tor who has hitherto supported them,
that will not damn for all time as !
deserter each and every senator who I
flincheS under fire and seeks shelter |
elsewhere and thereby puts in peril .
that american character" envisaged |
by Washington, incarnated by Roose
welt, and until this hour nobly chap
toned and defended by the brilliant
of the one and the devot-
ed friend of the other American inn
mortal
Senator Lodge has his warning 1t
is hard to believe that he will not /
heed it; it is harder still to have the !
ugly lumor circulated at this critical |
that he needs any word of
warning from the house of his
friends and the home of his birth.
When he declared that the reserva-
"the irreducible minimum" we
lions that bear his name constituted
he meant what he said. We !
know. we meant what we said when |
we endorsed his ultimatum. And we
also know that reducing "the iredu-
siblc minimum" is an mpossibility
ornorr honest mon who sneak the |