Evening journal., 1921-05-13
DIRE NOTICE THEREOF.

CTEPHANE LAUSANNE, editor Of the Paris Matin
- charges that Clemenceau withheld information he
received from Washington March g. 1912 to the effect
that the United States would refuse to ratfy the peace
treaty.
Replyingto the charge. the former premier says:
Yours is the first have had OF such note II
II had received IT, it would certainly have impressed me
But after all what Importance could such note have?'
He then goes to say that II he had submitted the
matter the chief OF the American peace delegation he
probably would have been told that it concerned the
internal politics OF America with which the peace
ference should not medde
III had been told" concludes NJ Glemenoeau that a
group OF Begians Italians and British had disapproved
Of what doing my FIRST impulse would have
been to ask the group why approached rather than
It's plenipoientary to transmit such communca-
tonn
The notice referred to by Clemenceau The resolution
read the United States Senate March 1919 after
It had been signed by hiry-nne Republican Senator'S in
cuding senator BAH OF Delaware and Senaorselect who
hold in the Senate that to consider
the peace treaty, that he constitution OF the League Of
Nations in the form proposed by the peace confer
ence should be accepted by the United Staes fur
hermore that the negotiations the part Of the United
States should Immediately be directed to the utmost ex
petition the urgent business OF negotiating peace terms
with Germany satisfactory TO the United states and the
nations with whom the United States is associated in the
war against the German Government and that the pro-
posal for League % Nations TO insure the permanent
peace OF the world should be then taken up for careful
and serious consideration"
That is the resolution that has gone the annals
OF American history the Second Declaration OF indie
pendencen II was notice TO the world that the United
States would not become party to the league then
drawn up, and an urgent recommendation that peace
should be first established and the leae reserved for
future and separate discussion.
NJ Cemenceau cannot lightly dispose OF the matter by
remarkng But after all what Importance could such a
note haveg" lie knew or should have known. that no
treaty be binding upon the United states until ratified
10y the Senate that favorable vote OF two-thrds Of
Senators present and voting necessary to such ratnca
ton; and that the resolution the publicly expressed
dissemination Of than onethrd OF the entir
Senate membership that the league treaty the eagu
by itseif as then written should not be ratified.
Clemenceau belttle the action Of those thirty
nine Senators by comparing them with group OF Bel
gians Italians, British"
They were not group Of Americans. They were
United states Senator'S charged by the Constitution with
the ratification or rejection OF treaties.
fthe former premier really is ignorant OF American
methods Of government his statement would indicate
or II aware OF the significance OF the Senate resou-
ton he nevertheless permitted the eaguetreaty to be
signed in the form in which we know it, the French
people have him 70 blame FOR the failure OF the United
Estates 70 become party thereto
It is probably that the treaty alone would have won
American ratification and 1t is equally certain that Glenn
cnceau II he had chosen to assert himself, could have
made it a separate instrument
lie preferred rather, to let go through in the form
Insisted upon by the American President with u,r In
eviiabie rejection By he United States Senate tha
awaited IL