The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1920-01-09
WILSON AND BRYAN DIFFER ON PEACE
treaty; MAY TO SPLIT IN PARTY
PAGE TWO


WASHINGTON. Jan. 9-President
Wilson. in q letter to Homer s. Cum
minsE chairman of the Democratic
national committee. read at the Jack
son Day diHners aat two Washington
hotels last night. repeated his dictum
that the treaty Including the covenant
of the league of nations, must be taken
without changes which would alter its
meaning.
The president declared that. in case
of the nature of such ratification, the
one, way out was to submit the mat
ter to the voters OF the country and
give to the 1920 presidential election
''the form of great and solemn refer
endumr.
He said in part: "The United States
enjoyed the spiritual leadership of
tho world until the senate of the
United States failed to ratify the
treaty by which the belligerent ma
tons sought to effect the settlements
for which they had fought throughout
the war. It is uncomfortable that at
this supreme crisis and final turning
point In the international relations OF
the whole world. whAn the results OF
the great war are by mo means deter;
mined and are still question: BILE and
dependent upon events which no man
can foresee or count upon, the United
States should withdraw from the con-
cert OF progressive and enlightened
nations by which Germany was de-
ieated and all similar governments (tf
the world be SO unhappy a. to contain
any,, warned OF the certain conse-
Quences Of any attempt OF Like In.
iquity, and yet that is the effect OF the
course the senate Of the United States
has taken with regard to the treaty
of Versailles"
Rejects senate's Decision
After asserting that the treaty was
necessary to guarantee the peace Of
the world, the president said: y
Personally do not accept the
action of the senate of the United
States as the decision of the nation.
l have asserted from the first that the
overwhelming majority OF the people
of this country desire the ratification
Of the treaty and my impression to
that effect has recently been confirm
ed by the unmistakable evidences Of
public opinion given during my visit
to seventeen of the states. have
endeavore to make 1t plain II the SEN
ate wishes to say what the undoubted
meaning of the league is, shall have
no objections. There can be, no rea-
sonable objection to interpretations
accompanying the act of ratification
itself. But when the treaty Is acted
upon, I must know whether it means
that we have ratified or rejected 1t.
We can not rewrite this treaty. We
must take It without changes which
alter its meaning, or leave 1t and then,
after the rest of the world has signed
It, we must face the unthinkable task
Of making and separate kind Of treaty
with Germany. -s. --,
"But no mere assertions with re-
gard to the wish and opinion Of the
country are credited. II there Is. any
doubt as to what the people Of the
country think of this vital matter, the
clear and single way. out IL to submit
it for determination at the next cleo
ton to the voters OF the nation. to
give the next election the form Of a
great and solemn referendum. q re-
ferendum az to the part the United
States is to play In completing the
settlements OF tho war and In the pre-
vention in the future OF such eutrages
as Germany attempted to pefpetrate.
We have no more moral right to re-
AuoO Az" W SAAC P0As AAA tAAO VASSNSA0AA
and administration Of these settle
ments than we had to refuse to take
part in the fighting OF the last few
weeks Of the war which brought vic
tory and made It possible to dictate
to Germany what the settlement
should be. Our fidelity to our asso.
ciates in the war is in question, and
the whole future of mankind. It will
be heartening to the whole world To
know the attitude and purpose Of the
United States"
Bryan Opposes Delay
In taking issue with President VIII
sons proposal that the league OF ma
tions fight be injected into the mex,
campaign, William Jennings Bryan
speaking at the banquet declared thai
the Democrats should accept the bes
compromise obtainable with the Re
publicans.
Mr. Bryan declared that the Demo
cratic party could not afford to share
the responsibility for the delay II
ratification Of the treaty which woult
be necessary in order to present thu
issue at the fall election.
He contended that the United State
should be governed by q majority
that the Republicans had a majorit,
: VI Ju0 SCudLc duU Ludt SIe DSuOCI al
party could not afford to take advan
tage o: constitutional right Of a mino,
ity of the senate to prevent ratifica
ton.
= The former premier also took issu
with President Wilson on Article
which the latter wrote and which, h
: frequently has asserted, would bin
Z the United States to defend the poli1
s'ical independence and territorial IL
.@tegr1ty of any other member of tn
3 league, as against external aggre.
"a sion. 1t is the principle point at 1!
sue In the controversy between tn
president and the United States SCI
ate, and the president has been il
sistent throughout the treaty figt
that 1t must be ratified" withou
change.
"MoraI Obligation" Denied.
$. Neither can we go before th
= country on Article TO-" said Mr.. Bryan
ftor fhot ha =