Evening star., 1921-05-03
The Separate Peace" Again.


on Saturday, when the Knox resolu,
ton was passed, centers in the'revival
by Senator Lodge Of talk concerning
a separate peace with Germany. The
senator's remarks on the subject were
not SO lucid or definite as to warrant
assurance on the part Of the public
that he proposes to fight for such a
peace. Yet, taken in conjunction with
the balance Of his discourse, a basis
for apprehension lest such be his pur-
pose is certainly provided, and once
again the possibility of course OF
action which would bring dishonor to
the United States distresses the ma
ton.
IF we choose to make peace with
Germany by a treaty, which will prob
ably follow this resolution" said Mr..
Lodge, surely we are not betraying
them" By them he referred to the
powers with whom We were associated
in the war. He then proceeded to seek
to establish the fact that, since the
existing league Of nations is to be
scrapped by the United States. the
treaty would be so weakened as to
render it a futile instrument. Senator
Shields OF Tennessee, with less discre-
ton and more candor than was evil
denced by his colleague from Massa-
chusetts, forthwith rose to remark that
the infirmities involved in the cove
nant Of the league Of nations affected
the treaty to such an extent as to
make the document incurably bad, and
the only possible thing to do is to
scrap the entire document"
So. out Of the passage Of the dena-
which accomplished nothing more than
the declaration Of the fact that we are
no longer in armed conflict with Ger
many-are reborn the grave misgiv-
ings which, prior to President Hard
ing's impressive first message to Con-
gress, beset America and those with
whom we fought shoulder to shoulder
in France. Is it the purpose Of the
United States, while insisting upon the
rights which have been guaranteed it
under the treaty of Versailles. to dodge
it's Complementary obligations and,
making a separate and selfish bargain
with Germany, to bid our former al
lies do the best they can without US in
the difficulties into which our course
would plunge them?
Senator Lodge and his followers to
the contrary Notwithstanding, the
purpose Of the United States is very
far from such. President Harding, at
the time Of a solemn Official pronounce.
ment which the world had awaited
with deep anxiety, expressed that pur.
pose: We propose to engage under
the existing treaty" with such ex-
plicit reservations and notifications as
will secure our absolute freedom and
safeguard all our essential interests -
as he said. We propose to join an as
sociation Of nations ito prevent war,
preserve peace and promote civiliza-
tion," as he said. And finally we pro.
pose to stand behind the President in
his apparently unheeded warning to
senator's to desist from their tendency
to seek to assume the function of
the executive"-a tendency destined
to lead the nation to untold troubles.
Far from being authorized to scrap
the treaty Of Versailles by the unquali.
fed verdict Of last November, the re-
publican party is bound by that yer.
dict to cling to whatever is good in
the league Of nations and to ratify a
modified version Of the treaty Of Yer.
| sailles. Seeking the political control
| OF the nation for the next four years
| talk, by any save an extreme few, of
a separate peace with Germany was
noticeable only by its absence. Presi.
/ dent Harding is aware Of the resulting
obligations-of the fact that the ma.
| tion as a whole would regard such a
| step as one Of unwisdom and dis.
honor.
On the face Of Saturdays discourse
/ incident to the Knox resolution 1t
would look as II. in guiding the coun.
| try to ultimate honor and security, he
was possibly to encounter the opposi.
tion OF the chairman of the foreign
relations committee Of the Senate
There is, however, the satisfaction of
knowing that should such opposition
develop beyond the stage Of impolitic
and probably unconsidered senatorial
palavers, the outcome will establish
! beyond peradventure of doubt, that
President Harding is, in fact. as well
as in name, the leader OF his party
| and OF the nation.