The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1921-04-06
DEBATE ON KNOX
RESOLUTION TO ]
BE PROLONGED
Harding Wishes to
Control Wording Of
Measure.

Washington, April 6.-President
Harding has passed successfully
through the first stages of what had
been feared would be an era of
domination BY the senate Of the
acts Of the executive. The presi-
dent has indicated, for instance,
that he is not. averse to the intro
duction Of the Knox resolution de-
claring q state of peace between
Germany and the United States, but
that the executive wishes to main
tain control Of the phraseology Of
the resolution because Of the vital
part that it will play in conducting
the foreign relations of America in
the next few years.
The senate 'irreconcilables"
who have been from the outset op-
posed to the League of Nations and
the treaty of Versailles have shown
a tendency to ride their program
through with the same anti-league
ardor that gave them momentum
during the last session Of congress
but the shoe is on the other foot
now. The senate on the one hand
has its views but the executive has
intricate problems to handle in ne
gotiating with foreign governments.
Mr.. Harding, therefore, is urging
that the senate proceed slowly and
do nothing that will take out of his
hands a certain freedom Of action
which the White house and depart
ment Of state must maintain SO as
to preserve American rights and
conserve American claims grow
ing out Of the war.
II certain reports were to be be-
lieved, especially reports inspired
by the 'irreconcilables" who have
been filling the ears of former
Premier Viviani and his party with
anti-league talk, the public might
assume that a separate peace with
Germany was almost an accomp-
lished fact The national capital
has seen too many plans 60 awry
since the outbreak of the European
war to accept hastily the sugges-
ton that the Knox resolution can
be rushed through" the senate.
Long DebatA >
Already the groups are arising to
make the debate a prolonged one.
The alignments will, differ from
those which were witnesses in the
treaty fight and the term bitter
ender" may be substituted by ma
tionalists. For Senators Borah
and Johnson, assisted perhaps by
Senator Brandegee, of Connecticut,
are strongly opposed to the inclu-
sion In the Knox resolution Of a
clause which would pledge the aid
OF America in the event that world
peace was again disturbed as it was
in the last decade. To one group in
the senate this is as obnoxious as
anything in article 10 for Senators
Borah and johnson have maintained
that American troops ought not tl
be sent overseas again unless the
! safety Of the United States itself is
threatened. This opposition cropped
up when the Knox resOlu.
ton was first considered in the sen.
ate foreign relations committee and
the famous paragraph FIVE" wa:
finally eliminated. 1t is repeated
today from the capitol by the friends
of the Knox resolution and 10 agar
the signal for fireworks IN thu
Borah-J johnson camp.
Knox Resolution.
Opposition to the Knox resolution
inside the Republican camp will
depend largely on the phraseolog,
but it Is certain that there can b,
no reconciliation between the ex
treme natiOnalists on the ON