The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1920-04-08
RAPS ON
SEPARATE PEACE
PLAN WITH HUNS
Oklahoma Congressman Points Out
Folly Of Resolution in House;
Says It's Problem for Senate
to Handle.
WOULD MEAN BREAKING
FAITH WITH SOLDIERS
Points to American Dead in France
and Asks If They Died in Wan;
Declares Would Mean Break
ing With Allies.

Special to the Express.
Washington, April s., Homer Cum
mings, chairman OF the national dem
ocratic committee was host at a
dinner last night to group of
leading democrats of the house of
representatives, including Congress
man Scott Ferris, Jim McClintic and
Tom D, McKeown OF Oklahoma.
In introducing Mr.. Ferris as one
Of the principal speakers, Mr.. Cum
mings referred to his true worth as
a democrat and man, which brought
applause from his colleagues who
were present
After expressing appreciation for
the compliment paid him, Mr. Ferris
discussed the proposed resolution
for separate peace with Germany,
now before the house, he said in
part:
Under the constitution the house
OF representatives has nothing to do
with making peace. That function
resides with the president by and
with the advice and consent OF the
senate Therefore, | feel perfectly
sure that such proposal would
merely be an abortive attempt to
do something that could not result
in anything but folly If not positive
harm.
"lf the house OF representative
had power to initiate such a resolu-
tion it would be as unwise as it is
dangerous. 1t would be the making
of separate peace with Germany,
an enemy nation at the expense OF
every friend with whom we have
just fought. | know full well the
country Graves peace, but 1t is
lasting peace they seek, not make
shift peace that would result in dis
aster on every hand
"Shall we say that the $4,000
American boys who were killed on
the battle fields Of France died in
vain, shall we say with a simple res
olution, we have done, we have con-
cluded you may go?' Shall we say
that the thirty billion dollars which
the government has expended in war
will be dismissed, swept aside and
held for naught? Shall we say that
the billion. two hundred and fifty
million dollars worth of aliens prop
erty that we now hold to indemnity
ourselves against Germany losses.
Shall this be sacrificed, surrender
ed and given back to Germany.
shall we say that although the sea
is strewn with American dead, with
sunken ships and lost cargoes aggre-
eating more than a billion dollars
that it shall be waived and we shall
give Germany clean bill of health?
"Shall we surrender our standing
as nation to Germany and turn
our backs on the nations with whom
we have just fought? Can a thought
tul constituency suggest or approve
Of such a course?
ITO me our duty seems clear The
parties to the war must agree to
rake peace and it must be done
through the regular constituted chan
nels. The common sense thing to
do is to stand with our associe rs
in the war and make the peace that
they make. To do otherwiss would
result in alternating the friendship OF
Jur allies. Instead OF having tie
ag k of the world with Us. behind
US and supporting us, we would have
the 45 nations of the earth that
signed the treaty all against us.
Our prestige as a nation would
he gone. We would be unfaithful
to those American boys sleeping in
France, unfaithful to our millions
who faced the German hordes, un-
faithful to our allies in the war and
unfaithful to ourselves. A resolution
such as the one suggested would be-
come the folly of the age"
The debate on the peace resolu-
tion begins in the house at once
Mr.. Ferris will speak against it as
will other Oklahoma members OF
the democratic side of the house.