Evening star., 1921-10-13

General in the cabinets of Presidents
Mckinley and Roosevelt, Secretary of
State in the cabinet of President Taft,
and IN the interim between those two
offices and afterward was United
States senator.
Senator Knox was an active figure
in the fight in the Senate in 1919 and
1920 against the ratification Of the
peace treaty of Versailles. Even when
the treaty was being drawn up he
delivered speeches In the Senate and
out of 1t, in which he demanded that
the league of nations covenant should
be separated from the other part of
the treaty. He introduced resolu-
ton to that effect which was adopted
by the Senate, and also presented
resolution against the appointment OF
American representatives on the reps
arations commission. He also draft
ed one Of the various resolutions SUBJ
mitted to the Senate for adopting the
treaty with reservations.
Subsequently. Senator Knox was
the author of resolution adopted by
the Senate in May, 1920. declaring
peace with Germany. This also was
vetoed by President Wilson.
Resolution Adopted.
When the present administration
came in Senator Knox promptly
offered again his resolution for peace
between the United States and Ger
many and Austria and Hungary. This
resolution was finally amended. large
~ by MIR. Knox himself. and was put
through Congress and signed by
President Harding. The pending
peace treaties. negotiated by the ad-
m:nistration, are largely based upon
the Knox peace resolution.
Senator Knox first came into ma
tional prominence when in 1901 Presi-
torney General. He retained that
office under President Roosevelt I'M
TIL 1904. when he resigned to accept
an appointment as United States sem
ator from Pennsylvania to succeed
the late Senator Quay.
AS Attorney General he established
a record for prosecutions of trusts
and combinations and in actions
against railroads to prevent rebates
and discrimination in rates.
Notable Achievements.
Notable among his achievements
while in this office was his suit
against the Northern Securities Com
purpose of combining the Northern
Pacific and Great Northern railroads.
He brought the government action
to dissolve the merger and after a
long legal fight. beginning in 1902, he
won the case in the United States
circuit court.
Mr.. Knox also waged a notable fight
against the combination of seven
beef corporations. against whom he
brought action in that year 1s02),
charging them with being in con-
spiracy in restraint of trade. He
PENDANTS. which were made perma-
nent on appeal to the United States
Supreme Court and the combination
was ordered to be dissolved.
Proceeds Against Railways.
Soon after Mr.. Knox instituted pro-
ceedings against fourteen railroad
corporations. charging them with be-
ing in combination in restraint of
trade. and finally won all the suits.
His friends declare that he was a
pioneer in the movement to control
corporations. 1t was upon his recon-
mendation that Congress amended
the laws against the railroads. SO as
! to punish them for granting rebates.
extend the authority of courts to en-
join the carriers against making dis
criminatory rates and permit the fed
eral courts to give precedence to
cases of great importance to the pub
lie. These actions made him a pow
erfuf factor in the war against unfair
practices by corporations, which was
the outstanding feature OF that period
of President Roosevelt's administra-
I ton.
His own views on these powerful
com binations were expressed in an
address at that time. in which he de-
clared that overcapitaliZation was the
most conspicuous evil feature OF the
trusts. but that other factors which
contributed to their i'll effect upon
the public were lack of publicity of
operation. discrimination in prices
designed to eliminate competition, a
tendency to monopolize trade in their
! lines and failure to appreciate that
they owed any service to the public.
MY purpose" he declared. sis to
show that we are not hopelessly help
less to deal with serious problems
which confront u.s."
Given Credit ON Canal Deal.
Mr.. Knox has been credited by some
with having actually carried
through" the purchase of the Panama
canal for $4,000, 900. which was an
achievement of the Roosevelt admin
{. istration. AS Attorney General. Mr.
Knox went to Paris and ascertained
; that the new Panama Canal Company
| held a clear title to convey the canal
| This enabled the United States to
proceed with the purchase.
Mr.. Knox was appointed United
, States senator in 1904. AS Secretary
of State in President Taft's cabinet
| he inaugurated an active policy OF
trade with foreign countries, which
was characterized as dollar diplo-
macy" a designation intended in de.
| rision, but of which Secretary Knox
afterward declared he was proud. HI
| proposed that an arbitral court be es'
! tablished at The Hague and that tht
! Manchurian railway be neutralized
and approved the plan for the Cen.
trail American court Of justice fol
maintaining peace in Central America
| He negotiated arbitration treatie!
! with France and Great Britain ant
made a notable trip to Central Amer
ican countries. Colombia and Vene'
! tend the funeral of Emperor Mutsu.
| hito of Japan, as representative OF
| the United States government. One
| of the features Of his secretaryshiI
was the dispute with Great Britain
! over the proposal to exempt Ameri'
! can coastwise shipping from payment
| of tolls for use Of the Panama canal
| Appointed n Senator.
Mr.. Knox left the Roosevelt cabine,
! July l, 1904, to accept an appointment
from Gov. Pennypacker OF fenn'
/ svlyania as United States senator tc
fill the unexpired term ,dor OF the ne ,se lase
Senator S. M. Quay; IN isoo ne. ne va; va
elected by the legislature for the fui
senatorial term Of six years.
Wide as has been Senator Nox's
| service to this country, he is today
and probably for all time win be re: re:
membered best for the work he die
as Secretary of State in Presiden,
Taft's cabinet. to accept which pos,
he resigned from the Senate IN 1909
| The State Department was aple &c
mao+ the unnrecedented and most try.
ing demands of the world war and the
reconstruction period because the en-.
tire structure of this branch OF the
| government. through which all po'