Martinsburg W Va evening journal. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1913-1920, 1920-04-10
Daily
Editorial
Digest
(Title Appld for U. S. Pat otf)
Edited by the Washington
Feature Service
DAVID LAWRENCE, Prest.
PEACE WITHOUT
A TREATY.

Congress declared war on Ger
many by resolution. Can it end
war by repeating that act. The
treaty OF Versailles having failed of
ratification. this new question of
declaring" peace instead of nego-
tiating it is now being agitated.
1.-THE simple expedient of attain
ing a state of peace by repeating
the resolution declaring war on Ger
many" says the Seattle Post-Intel-
lgencer Qnd. Rep, lis likely to
encounter serious obstacles, among
which are the question of its con-
stitutionality and the probability
that the President may veto the
plan The same authority adds
that the Republicans entertain lit
tie hope that the President will
sign such a resolution, but having
presented 1t in good faith, the re-
sponsibility for continuing a state
o. war must rest with the Chief
Executive" The Pittsburgh Press
tInd.) is quite clear that the Con
stitution. which gives Congress the
power to declare war, undoubtedly
gives it the Complementary power
to declare peace" for otherwise
1T would make the mere declara.
ton of peace UNNECESSARILY more
responsible, complicated and diff.
cult proceeding than the declara-
ton of war, whereas common sense
is well aware that the declaration of
war, which rests solely within the
power OF Congress. is the much
more responsible and fateful act OF
the two
President Wilson, according to the
Fort Wayne News and Sentinel
Rep has notified the Democrats
in Congress TO oppose the resolu-
ton" and has made 1t plain that
he will veto it II it comes to him. y
Thus" the News and Sentinel
continues. we see President VIII
son padly and foolishly preparing
10 perpetuate theoretically war
that actually ceased year and 6
half ago. Here we are at peace
with Germany and carrying on trade
with Germany, yet norninally a.
war with Germany"
scribed by the Baltimore American
{Rep.l:
ITO declare that the state OF wal
with Germany Is ended to provide
that Germany shall have As days il
which to follow suit, and this coun
try shall be under no kind OF liza
bility to Germany except as con
tanned in the provisions of the trea
ty with the Allies"
The American sees no hope o
passing such a resolution over thu
veto of the President, but thinks Il
would be refreshing TO have vot'
taken to declare the close OF TIL
state OF war, even though 1t shoul,
prove a vote of futility" Tn,
Brooklyn Eagle Qnd. Dem), how
ever holds that the President viii
have to sign this resolution II
gets TO him. He ought to sign II
On the whole, IL Is temporary on
valuable step toward the re-estat
tlizing OF our foreign and domesti
conditions" The same procedur
appeals to the Dallas News Cine
Dem), which points out that tn
resolution would nave the enect {
repeating all the war acts. This
one reason why it should be adop
al and approved, although the fac
sioald be recognized that thos
war acts could be repealed quite q
aojy aad directly as they woul
In by declaring the war with &c
a.y II an end To the sun an
nv York Herald Ind.J the mai
question is that OF unlimited, VI
divided executive power" whtc
asst he met and settled by Ii
Congress of the United States an
the people OF the United States"
Secretary Daniels paper, the Ra
eigh News and Observer dem.
which presumably reflects the att
tude of the administration, say