Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1920-05-04
KNOX RESOLUTION
ON PEACE NOT EASY
To LAWRENCE
Two Courses of Action De-
bated by Democrats, One
to FiIibuster Other to Let
Vote Take Place
By DAVID LAWRENCE


| WASHINGTON, May 3-Neither
President Wilson nor the Democrats
in the senate who follow his leader
ship are particularly pleased with the
changes made by Senator Knox in the
resolution declaring a state of peace,
which was passed by the Republican
majority in the house of representa-
tives, but it is a fact that the Knox
proposal is less Objectionable than it's
predecessor and makes more difficult
a veto message from the White
| House
Two courses of action are being de-
| bated by the Democrats-whether to
center their opposition on the Knox
resolution and by continuous talk de-
lay action until after the two politi-
cal conventions next month have
nominated candidates for the presi-
dency or to let the resolution pass
for the Republicans probably have the
| votes-and thus be able, when the
conventions arrive, to point out that
the joint resolution doesn't make
peace.
Senator Knox, who once was an at
torney general and a secretary OF
state of the United States, re-wrote
the house resolution with an eye to
future criticism. He recognized at
once that the congress could not bind
the executive branch of the govern
ment as to the kind of treaty of peace
it should negotiate and that it WouN1
be the simplest thing in the world TO"
President Wilson to veto the resolu-
ton and cite weighty precedents to
support his action. SO, after repeal
ing all the wartime legislation OF a
domestic character and forbiddtng,
moreover, the disposition of the Ger
man property in the United states
taken by authority Of the trading
with the enemy act, another congress
sionaI privilege, the Knox resolution
merely would request" the president
to open peace negotiations with Ger
many. In so far as the resolution de-
c1ares that the United States doesn't
waive any rights in the meantime
which it might get under the treaty
of Versailles, this, too, merely Woulo
be the expression of an opinion by
congress and would of course not :
tually bind foreign government I'M
less so notified by the executive
branch of the United States govern
ment with whom it deals exclusively
in matters of the kind.
The Veto Power
Congress cannot under our constl-
tuition enter into communication or
negotiations with foreign govern
ments.
Thus broadly speaking President
Wilson cannot veto the Knox resolu-
ton merely because it expresses an
opinion or requests him to adopt
certain course. And before the reso-
luton is finally passed by the SEN
ate, the fact that congress re
quests rather than orders" the
executive branch of the government
to safeguard all claims or rights
which would otherwise come to US
under the treaty of Versailles itself
will be emphasized, and all constl-
tutional or technical objections to
the Knox resolution will have been
removed.
The president would have to
choose some general ground for We
toeins the Knox resolution. And his
action would be unprecedented. He
could say that the treaty of Versall-
| les alreaT-- is in operat d that
he believes it to be the best compro-
mise agreement that can be obtained
and a more advantage pact to the
United States than a separate peace
with Germany. He could moreover
refuse to negotiate with Germany
separately, arguing that it would be
a violation of the terms of the
armistice agreement signed by all
the associated powers as the basis OF
peace and a withdrawal of our moral
obligation to stand with the allies
with whom we fought the war.
Not So Easy
But the task Of vetoing a message
whose main action merely is repeal
Of domestic legislation and a re-
quest for a new treaty is not going
to be an easy one for the president
and the Democratic party. Indeed
house Democrats themselves propos-
ed a substitute resolution repeating
wartime laws. From the president
viewpoint, it might be more com,
Portable not to sign the joint reso
luton at all but allow it to become
law after the lapse of ten days ane
then to send back to the senate the
treaty of Versailles as his defiant
answer to the request for separate
peace with Germany. This would
throw the whole matter into the
campaign as the president on the
one hand and Senator Lodge, on thu
other, are eager to do. But the re
quest for a separate peace witt
dent Wilson on his western trip ant
from the statement issued by Homer
Cummings, the Decorate nationa
chairman, it is apparent that the
Democrats will try to revive the
wartime hate of Germany by refus
ing to beg the Huns to make a sep
arate peace"
On the other hand the demand II
the allied countries for revision O.
the treaty of Versailles has beer
taken up to some extent in the Unit
ed States and there are po1itica
groups who would be quick to con
tend that hope of forcing a revision
of the Versailles treaty lies in the
negotiation Of separate peace will
Germany.
Senator Knox speaks on Wednes
day in defense of his resolution. Ad
ministration Democrats led b." Sen
ators Hitchcock and Underwood will
make reply. There will be plenty OF
talk for the next month, possibly =
but no commercial agreements OF
treaties with Germany or Austria
until the American people at the
polls next November have decided
whether they want the treaty Of
Versailles with reservations or In