The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1920-03-29
Enitnrial Di1rat|
An Independent Analysis Of Leading Cr.
rent Events - Rejected In the Pub
lie Press Of the Country
How Shall We Make Peace With
Germany?

AFTER a painful illness Of several months
duration says the Anaconda Standard (Dem.).
"the peace treaty died in spasms. Al least II
was pronounced dead by many OF the numer-
Gus physicians in attendance. and word to that
effect was ordered sent to its father. the
president"
"Blame for the inability OF the United
States senate to ratify the treaty OF versailles
rests mainly upon two stin-necked individuals
Henry Cabot Lodge and Woodrow Wilson,
comments the Bridgeport Post undJ
Rut where does it leave us? Still 1t war
with Germany although hostilities ceased near
w a year and half ago. and the nations OF
Europe have made peace. Somehow we must
make peace too, but how!
Some deny that the treaty is dead. The
Cleveland Plain Dealer Qnd. DEM thinks the
senate should call it back and ratify 1t, which
would then put the issue squareiy up TO the
president to offer peace upon the senate terms
or to reject the terms and seek restoration OF
peace nv some other method" The New York
Times lind, DEM takes Q somewhat similar
position:
1.-THE time will come, and it will not be
distant time" it predicts, when the president
will be able to resubmit the treaty to senate
that benefting by sober second thought, will
be far less insistent on reservations that mutt
late and destroy reservations that Will
declare our understanding of the treaty. but
will leave intact its vital guarantees OF justice
and peace among nations"
LET the issue go before the people" urges
the Kansas City Journal (Rep}; that will be
the best thing that could happen The Ia
coma Ledger (Ind) states that the senate's
action means that the treaty will be made
an issue in the campaign" but thinks it "un-
fortunate that the treaty is to be campaign
issue at time when there are SO many other
vital matters which ought to be settled" In
the view of the Lafayette Journal Courier Nnd.
RepD the pact can be an issue only IN Sec
ondary sort of way" for there is no means by
which the people can vote directly on the mat
ter They must cast their votes for the candi-
dates of the party that most nearly represents
their views on this subject, after they have
taken into consideration also the other very
important issues" The Buffalo Courier DEM
agrees with the New York Tribune (Rep)
that there can be no clearcut issue. no clear
| expression Of public opinion"
| Some difficulties in the way OF campaigning
on the treaty issue are set forth by the Los
Angeles Times Qnd. Rep. President Wilson,
this authority says, would like to have pop
ular vote on the treaty as written; but ma
| jorty of the Democratic leaders are not willing
| TO risk campaign on ratification without res
crvations. The San Francisco platform prob
anly will call for ratification with mild reser-
| yations and the Chicago platform for ratifica-
| ton along the lines of the resolution beaten by
! Democratic votes in the senate
| The Springfield Union fRep) analyses the
vote of the senate and concludes that there
are clear-cut lines of party demarcation
there and there is no way of so presenting
the issue in political campaign as to make
any conclusion possible. 1t is simply a mess
disgusting, humiliating, shameful and for
which there is blame enough to go around.
Talk Of the peace treaty there will be, of
| course-and much of it, adds the Toledo
Blade 0nd. Rep, "but the electorate cannot
be made to see it as a paramount ISSUE" and
the Sioux City Journal (Rep.) declares that
both parties are split asunder' on the ques-
ton. Let the Wichita Eagle Und) believes
that 1.-The people may be trusted to see through
the fog of politics the great Importance of set
Ting the treaty question properly And the
people may be trusted to vote for the League
of Nations and peace"
But is there another way of getting out OF
the war? Surely something must be done,
SAYS the Boston Post und. DEM, "to end
the grotesque situation in which we now are
Whose is the first move?" And the Post con.
tinues:
will the president at once move to nego.
tiate separate peace with Germany?
Will congress attempt the hitherto unheard-o1
and probably unconstitutional scheme of max.
ing peace by resolution
The latter plan appeals to many. Senator
Knox has introduced a resolution to that eff
feet, and the Johnstown Democrat DEM be-
lievcs the senate should now lose no time ir
passing the Knox resolution declaring the wa,
with Germany at an end" The Wichita Bea
con Gnd) feels the same way: There is no ex
cuse," it says. for keeping up technical stat.
Of war when no war exists. Congress declared
war in the first place 1t undoubtedly has thu
right to declare the war at an end"