The Washington herald., 1921-04-13

particular treaty. or committed to
the attainment, OF the special aims
OF any nation or group of nations.
Refers to Association.
'srhe American aspiration. In
deed, the world aspiration, was an
association of nations. based upon
the application OF Justice and right.
binding us In conference and co.
operation for the prevention of war
and pointing the way to a higher
civilization and international fra
ternity in which all the world might
share. In rejecting the league COW
enant and uttering that rejection
to our own people, and to the
world. we make no surrender Of our
hope and aim for an association to
promote peace In which we would,
most heartily Join. We wish 1t to
be conceived in peace and dedicated
to peace, and will relinquish no ef-
fort to bring the nations of the
world into such fellowship, not In
the surrender OF national soyer-t
eighty but rejoicing in, a nobler
exercise of 1t in, the advancement
Of human activities, amid the COM
pensations of peaceful achievement.
. In the national referendum to
which Il have adyerted we pledged
our efforts toward such association.
and the pledge will be faithfully
kept. In the plight of policy and
performance we told the American
people we meant to seek an early
Establishment of peace. The United
States alone among the allied and
associated powers continues In a
technical state of war against the
central powers of Europe. This
anomalous condition ought not to be
permitted to continue. To establish
the state of technical peace without
further delay. I should approve a
declaratory resolution by Congress
to that effect, with the qualifications
essential to protect all our rights.
Such action would be the simplest
keeping of faith with ourselves, and
could in no sense be construed as
desertion of those with whom we
shared our sacrifices in war. for
these powers are already at peace.
Eject of Resolution.
rSuch a resolution should under
take to do no more than thus to
declare the state of peace. which all
America Graves. 1t must add no
difficulty in effecting. with just rep
arations. the restoration for which
all Europe yearns, and upon which
the worlds recovery must be
founded. Neither former enemy nor
ally can mistake Americas posi-
ton. because our attitude as to re-
sponsibility for the war and the ne
cessity for just reparations already
has had formal and very earnest ex-
preston.
1T would be unwise to undertake
to make a statement of future pol
icy with respect to European affairs
in such a declaration of a state of
peace. In correcting the failure of
the executive, in negotiating the
most important treaty in the history
of the nation. to recognize the con-
stitutional powers of the Senate We
would 60 to the other extreme
equally Objectionable. IL Congress
or the Senate should assume the
function of the executive. Our high
est duty is the preservation of the
constituted powers of each and the
promotion of the spirit of co-opera-
ton so essential to our common
welfare.
1T would be idle to declare for
separate treaties of peace with the
central powers on the assumption
that these alone would be adequate.
because the situation is so involved
that our peace engagements can
not ignore the old world relation
ship and. settlements already ef-
fected, nor Is II desirable to do SO
in preserving our own rights and
contracting our future relation
ships.
To Use Old Treaty.
The wiser course would seem to
be the acceptance of the connrma-
tion OF our rights and interests as
already provided and to engage
under the existing treaty. assuming,
OF course. that this can be salts
factorily accomplished by such ex-
plicit reservations and modifica-
tions as will secure our absolute
freedom from inadvisable commit
ments and safeguard all our essen
tial interests.
Neither Congress nor the peo-
pie needs my assurance that a re-
quest to negotiate needed treaties
OF peace would he as superflous
and unnecessary as It is technically
ineffective, and / know in my own
heart there Is none who would wish
10 embarrass the executive in the
performance of his duty when we
are all so eager to turn disappoint-
ment and delay into gratifying ac-
complishment.
problems relating to our foreign
relations bear upon the present
and the future, and are of such a
nature that the all-important fu-
ture must be deliberately consid-
cred. with greater concern than
mere immediate relief from un-
happy conditions. We have wit
messed. yea. we have participated.
in the supremeIy tragic episode of
war, but our deeper concern is in
the continuing life of nations and
the development of civilization.
Must Guard Vision.
we must not allow our vision
to be impaired by the conflict
among ourselves. The WEAKNESS at
home and the disappointment to
the world have been compensated
in the proof that this republic will
surrender none of the heritage of
nationality, but our rights in in
ternational relationship have to be
| asserted: they require establish
ment in compacts of amity; our
part in readjustment and restora-