The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1920-04-01
UPHOLDs EFFORTS OF REPUBII-
CANS TO ANERiCANIZE THE
LEAGUE OF NATIONS


Washington, March.-Ringing is
the declaration OF Senator Hoke
Smith. OF Georgia. one OF the most
prominent of the Democratic sena-
tors, in favor Of the attitude OF Sen
ator Lodge and his Republican col
leagues toward the Americanization
OF the peace treaty.
"It is hardly necessary" he said,
"for me to express again my earnest
desire that the senate ratify the trea-
ty with reservations protecting Am
erican interests and preserving un-
trammeIed the discretion OF congress
upon subjects entrusted to IL by the
constitution.
1T Is most important for our
country 10 be no longer technically
at war. am convinced that the
interests OF the country require that
the treaty be ratified now. To carry
II into the campaign this fall will
take the attention o. the country
away from domestic problems and
leave the treaty with no more pros
poets for ratification in the future
than II has at the present time.
More tnan one-third of the SEN
ators who will remain in the senate
two years after the LIST of March
are opposed 10 the treaty without
substantial reservations. and, regard
less OF the election this fall. the
treaty cannot be ratified for two
years longer without substantially
the reservations which a majority of
the senator's will now agree upon.
Anyone who will take the list OF
senators to be elected this fall who
are opposed to ratification without
substantial reservations must con-
cede that quite a number OF them
will certainly be reelected. My own
judgment is that the vote OF the
senate will be stronger the 4th OF
next March against ratifying the
treaty without reservations than II
has been during the past twelve
months.
81 do not believe that a majority
OF senators will at any time be found
no matter how distant that time
who will be willing to place the
obligation upon this country to send
our soldiers and our sailors into the
wars OF the world. as required by
Article X. The duties which the con-
stitution places upon the congress.
and which Article X would require
them to approach with prior obli-
cation constraining their action.
must be removed or the league can
not and should not ever be ratified.
THE questions before US today
are: Shall we leave our country
technically in state OF war? Shall
we refrain from caring for the in
terests OF our country in connection
with the readjustments that must be
made under the terms of the treaty |
because the covenant OF the league
OF nations Is not to be made Is strong
as someone would have IT.
ITO those who wish Il stronger J
than the senate is willing to leave IL !
appeal for favorable action on rat 4
ification. Even II they do not agree |
with me that the notifications should |
be made, they must know they will |
never obtain league covenant go
ing beyond the terms to which the |
majority of the senate will now CON
sent. They. therefore. by refusing |
vote for ratification keep this !
question before the country and be- !
fore the senate. interfering with 9TH |
er important problems that should |
receive consideration. without the
possibility of doing more In the direc- !
tion of the covenant than they can |
help do now.
The friends of the covenant can
never secure more than they can Sc
sure now. II they cast away their
opportunity. the probability Is that |
they will lose Il for all time. II they |
do not obtain all thsy wish, they GER !
tainly obtain much that they wish, |
and they serve their country and fol- |
low the wishes of the people OF this
country by ending the matter III
therefore have supported and shall |
support the substitute offered by the |
senator from Massachusetts and shall |
finally support for ratification the
treaty under such reservations as