Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1920-03-25
SENATE KILLS
PEACE TREATY
Upper Branch Of Congress Votes
to Keep Out of League
of Nations.
PACT GOES BACK TO WILSON
Senators Prepare to Vote Peace With
Germany League Controversy
Now Becomes Campaign Is
sue-Vote Was 49 to 35.

sue-Vote Was 40 to IS.
Washington, March 22.-The senate
rejected the treaty of peace with Ger
many and sent it back to the White
House with resolution informing the
president that the senate would not
consent to its ratification.
For the second time since the treaty,
with the covenant of the League of
Nations, was brought back from Paris
by President Wilson, the senate re-
fused to give it the approval that is
necessary to bind the United States to
the engagements which it imposes
upon the nation.
Exactly four months ago to the day
the treaty was refused ratification by
the vote of Al to 81. Today's vote was
40 to 35, the majority in favor of rati-
fication being seven votes short of the
two-thirds required by the Constitu-
ton.
Immediately following the vote by
which the treaty was rejected, the SEN
ate adopted a resolution by Senator
Lodge directing the secretary to return
the treaty TO the president and notify
him that ratification could not be ac-
complished. The vote on the adoption
of this resolution was AZ to 81.
Before the senate convenes next
Monday messenger from the Office of
the secretary of the senate will have
deposited at the White House the doc
ument which has been the cause of
the most bitter struggle in the history
of the senate.
Once in the hands of the president,
the senate will have no authority to
recall it, and the president is not like
~ to return it to the senate unless he
can obtain reasonable assurance that
ratification can be had.
In view of the presidents desire to
take the treaty into the campaign, it is
not believed by any of his followers in
the senate that he will for moment
consider sending the treaty back to
the senate, at least until after the
campaign is over.
The senate will Immediately turn its
attention to the proposition of declar-
ing peace with Germany by a resolu-
tion which both houses of congress
will be asked to pass.
Senator Knox began the discussion
of his resolution on the subject shortly
after the vote against the treaty had
been recorded
That such resolution will pass is
conceded by the ablest leaders of the
senate, in view of the second failure
of the attempt to bring about peace by
ratification of the treaty.
The Knox measure is joint resolu-
ton, requiring passage by the house as
well as the senate.
1t provides in addition to restoring
state of peace that unless Germany
confirms all the rights, privileges, in
IDENTITIES, reparations and advan-
tages' to which the United States
would have been entitled under the
treaty of Versailles. the president may
prohibit commercial intercourse with
or financial assistance of Germany.
The Knox measure is joint resolu-
ton requiring passage by the house as
well as the senate, and signature by
the president. If it should be passed
and vetoed by the president it could be-
come law, Notwithstanding the veto,
by two-thirds vote of both houses.
When news Of the senate's action
was flashed to the White House it
failed to bring forth one word of COM
ment. Joseph P. Tumulty, secretary
to the president, was at the executive
offices until the senate adjourned, and
the information Of the defeat of the
treaty was promptly transmitted to
the president. But after the adjourn
ment of the senate, Mr.. Tumulty went
home. He announced there would be
no statement from the president.
Senator Lodge-''The treaty is gone.
1t has been rejected by the senate and
sent back to the president. If the
president chooses to return it to the
senate it will have to go through the
same process as before. If it goes to
the foreign relations committee he will
have mighty hard time getting II
out. If the president desires to make
o campaign issue of it the Republic.
ans are perfectly willing to meet it,"
Senator Hitchcock-'T am glad the
ratification did not carry on the Lodge
reservations. but the result was about
what / expected. 1t will now be up tc
the president and he will have to take
the initiative"
The treaty, with essentially the same
reservations commanded 10 more votes
Friday. than in November, when il
was p votes short of two-tllirds
These votes were contributed by the
following Democrats:
Ashurst, Beckham, Chamberlain