New-York tribune., 1920-03-21
Failure Of Treaty
blamed on Wilson,
Editorial Comment of
Papers in U. S. DepIore
Delay in Peace Plan

Delay in Peace Plan
Editorial comment of newspapers in
some of the principal American cities on
the defeat of the peace treaty fouows:
Seattle Post-Intelligencer
The final rejection of the peace treaty
with its covenant for league of ma
tions doubtless ends, so far as the Sem
ate is concerned, a controversy which
the country has viewed with growing
impatience. The issue now will 90 to
the people, and it is perhaps just as
we'll. After all, treaty which pro-
posed such departures from the doc
trines of Washington would have little
weight unless the nation were behind
1t. On the plain proposition of treaty
with reservations or treaty without
reservations there is little doubt as to
the decision of the people. Either they
will have an Americanized treaty or
none at ALL
New Orleans Times-Picayune
1t is we'll that the shameful and
humiliating chapter Of the treaty de-
bate in the Senate is finished
1t is better to have no treaty than
treaty which carries with it reserva-
tlons and expressions insulting to our
former allies. it is better to be
out of league Of nations.
Necessarily there will be appeal to
the voters of America. They, after all
will have the decision.
Americans who think first for Amer
lea may we'll pray that those who speak
TOR the various groups may evolve from
tnelr number some who can rise above
the demagoguery and the cant that has
nlled the Senate chapters of the "Con-
gresslonal Record" for so many months.
Meantime, technically we are still at
war! ~
The st. Louis Post Dispatch
The American people are in the wilder
ness, without Moses. Their govern
ment is unable to function on the most
momentous question since the declara-
ton of war-the question of peace and
guarantees of peace. Party leadership
has utterly failed.
The Republican Senators and the
President, with the support of his
Democratic followers, contributed to
the defeatist victory of the battalion of
death.
Lodge and his partisans, the Presi
dent and his partisans, are participators
IN the mess of failure in Washington
What next? We must have peace
We must be rid of the status Of war
which hampers all our activities. The
vital question now is not who killed the
treaty, but what satisfactory substitute
can be found. What have the slayers
of the peace treaty to offer the people
whom they represent and have be-
trayed?
The sovereignty is in the people, and
they must redeem the government from
the disgrace and humiliation caused by
the tI, disabilities of party leadership.
They must save it from the conse-
quences of party bankruptcy and fac
tional divisions. They must set up
government that will function on all
questions that concern the public well
fare.
Philadelphia Public Ledger
There will be no disposition to re-
lieve the Senate of its own responsible
lty for the failure, nor Senator Lodge.
in particular, from the reproach of
bitter partisanship which has charac-
terized his course with respect to the
treaty. But even this combina-
ton Of blind partisanship, bitter re-
sentiment and narrow insularity might
not have succeeded in wrecking the
work of the peace conference and stul-
| tifying the nation in the eyes of the
world had it not been for the irresisti-
BILE position of the President His re-
fusal to consider the Senate at any
stage Of the peace negotiations, his
arrogant demand that his completed
work must be accepted without the dot
ting of an 81" or the crossing of st."
his unwillingness to heed the warnings
OF growing suffering and chaos abroad
or to accept interpretations and res
ervations that were entirely acceptable
to the Allies must be considered as the
causes finally responsible for the vote
IN the Senate on Saturday.
Cleveland Plain Dealer
"Had the President been willing to
leave to his friends in the Senate a
larger measure of discretion as to when
and how much to concede for the sake
Of getting the treaty through, it is pos
sble that the Senate months ago would
have ratified the instrument in a form
acceptable to our Allies, and the United
States would have passed out of the
twilight zone between war and peace
The Democratic leadership in the Sen
ate, doubtless responsive to the will Of
the White House, required too long to
entertain the idea of concession The
longer friends of the treaty stood ada
mant the tirmer became its opponents.
San Francisco Bulletin
"The Senate has done with the treaty.
and it is for the people to say whether
they will have done with these Senators
who are responsible for keeping Amer