Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1920-05-22
SENATE ADOPTS PDACE PLAN BX
VOTE OF As TO ~.
Continued firm Secoiu Page

minated the war with Germany. Aft
ec many months debate the Senate
was unable to reach IL conclusion on
ratification. Then tie majority par
ty took the res. uusl.lltty OF return
ing tho treaty to the Prcs.dc with
cut either Amendment o. suggested
amendment. In tn, way the treaty
F., was rejected by The majority party in
40 far as 1t was possible for them 10
do So and when they returned it to
the President with all its intact they
C, Messed that they had rejected it,
whether they meant to do SO or not.
III the circumstances it could not be
expected thai t. 6 President would
proceed further with the negotiations
ualoss it BIO indicated to him that
some amendments would be agreed to
which we're salts factory to him and
lie ouch suggestion was made.
If 1t WIS the purpose merely to re
ject the League OF Nations and pro-
cure ratification OF the peace it was
in the power OF the Senatc's maj6ri-
ty to amend the treaty by striking
out all clauses relating TO the cove
l.ant Of the league and ratifying the
rest. If that had been done all there
Is in this resolution would have been
accomplished and more because the
German Government is Il party to this
treaty only so far as the terms Of
peace and not in relation to the Lnag
ue of Nations. The opportunity Of
acceptance or rejection Of that plan
was not presented to the president.
Thc party in control, when it return
cd the treaty without mcndnrcnt, fore
closed tho opportunity to make peace.
SHIELDS. RECALLS a THREAT
Mr. Underwood said he never had
regarded the question Of reservations
as important, hut opposed the pending
resolution because it ncocssitatcd
making separate peace. Senator
Hitchcock (Ncb.) interrupted to say
thai in his jackson Day letter PrcSi
acnt Wilson declared 1t was "unthink
able that the United States would
enter a separate peace with Germany.
at this point Scnator Shields Cienh.)
injected himself into the debate say
i:g. r.,.
IN his litter to the Supreme Coo"-
Il, 3 few weeks ago the president sa's
that unless terms were made Tor Get
,lsmcnt of the Adriatic question AUS
factory to him he would Withdraw inc
treaty. That would have necessltaleh
a scp,,atc treaty with Germany, be
amigo It is unthinkable that he would
have expected to keep the country at
wac with Germany forever.
w omust either ratify or be driven
/, a SEPARATE peace, because under
this resolution wc cannot resume rcl;l
on, with that Government coniihu
Mr Underwood.
Senator Knox (pa.) explained:
D,3,umatic and consular NlMloNS
,canno, Of course he established OK
oVpt by arrangement with Gerh"hE'
bNl II this resolution is adopted sup
pl,muntcA by tuc i"rt that We cease"
nostilltiGS more t.an year Shu :"
: lAIf ago, ui course 1t weuld DC mo
Presidents duty IN such Ciicnm3'"i
oos TO mako aucA an arrangement
,nd il MAS because / did not want Ia
rnb il IN on The President thAl /
s>,as rilIinH TO accept the Lodge
'.meuIucul TO strike Oxt OF the >rcSo
iu.iou me provision 3reQuiling tho
/
would not lie Il treaty OF peace, Ont
i. treaty OF comfy and commercial &c
htiouS.
You can pass peace without u treaty.
Mr.. Knox called attention to tia.
fact that the State Department mao
denounced tho commercial treaty
with Russia in 1911 and from that
time until now there has been no
commercial treaty between that couI,
Try and tho United States.
HARDING BI4AMEs PRESIDENT.
After Il discussion Of the constitlh
tlonal issues by Senator Walsh
(Mont) who asserted the way could
he terminated by executive action. "
Senator Harding (Ohio) spoke for
the resolution. he outlined some of
the history Of the long fight over
the treaty and the League Of Nations
arguing that the Presidents insist
ence on his own single programme
which he would not submit to amend
ment to reservation or modification
was responsible for the failure of
the treaty.
The treaty would have ratified
eight months ago." he said, but for
the Presidents determined opposition
to oppose reservation which the Sen
ale insisted upon in the effort to make
It safe for America, but by his insis
tence that the Senate should not be
allowed to exercise its constitutional
parogative In connection with the
country in a state Of war many
months after peace ought to have
come to the country.
Soma tor Hitchcock (NoO.) closed
the debate. The Senator from Ohio,
he said, ADVANCES novel reason
for adopting the resolution; that
thereby we would show that not the
President but a group Of Senators is
running this country.
No; I merely insisted on the prop
CT cooperation of the President and
u,n