Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1922-03-25
EFFECT OF THE DEBATE

oCAIdl1 OA tIC horsepower treaty QlQ not Change q
vote. In all probability this is true. 1t is not likely
that there was any expectation that votes would be
changed by the debate. The study of the treaty
presented no great difficulty. There had been
ample time for investigation before the debate be-
gan. Those who wished to study the treaty had
done SO, and had reached their conclusions. Others,
whose position was reached without study, had
already decided, and were not to be moved from
their positions by any sort of rgument In all
probability the vote by which the ratification of
the treaty was recommended would have been cast
just that way had the roll been called Immediately
after the treaty was placed before the senate, ex~
cept for such changes as may have been brought
about in the meantime through causes, political,
tact1onal or personal, and IN no way related to the
treaty itself. e
Nevertheless, the debate has had it's uses. 1t has
been useful to the public, if not to the senator's.
The casual newspaper reader has not the facilities
for going deeply into the merits of international
treaties. He has impressions concerning them, but
those impressions are subject to revision as he OBJ
tains further information, and he looks for informa-
ton to the discussions before official bodies such
as our senate. There he expects. to find stated
whatever reasons there are for>approva1 or disap-
|proval of the measure, and on the basis of that in
formation he is able to reach his own conclusions
with more certainty and greater satisfaction.
It may be taken for granted that the first impress
sion of the average citizen was favorable to this
treaty. The instruuent itself is brief. Its text is
confined to a concise statement of the purpose of
Itne Slg1iatory powers to respect the territorial pos
sessions of each other in the Pacific, and, in case of
threatened aggression on these possessions from,
any other source, to confer with each other in re-
]ation to the subject. That looks like an important
step in the direction of world peace, especially when
the four parties to this treaty are not only those
principally interested in the Pacific, but, in naval
and military strength, in commercial importance
and in extent of territory are the principal powers
of the world.
The plain citizen has therefore probably felt not
a little curiosity as to what flaws would be found
IN a document SO promising. He learned quite
|eariy that certain senators were expected to oppose
ratification, and he must have wondered why. The
fact that opposition existed may have caused him
to hesitate, and to feal that perhaps, after all, some
important thing had been overlooked, or that the
treaty contained something not apparent to hin,
which would render it dangerous.
We have had weeks of debate. Those opposed
to the treaty have had all the time they wanted to
set forth their reasons for opposition. And it is
safe to say that never before in the consideration
OF so important a measure has there been such a
dearth of real argument as has characterized the
addresses OF those opposed to this treaty. The dis
cussion Of the Versailles treaty brought forth on the
part OF the opposition much: that was far from
creditable, but the Versailles treaty is at least a
very complex affair, and covers so much ground
that in connection with it there was room for some
real differences of opinion. But in connection with
this treaty nothing of the sort is true. 1t is simple.
direct, straight to the point, and with all the facili-
ties at their command its opponents in these weeks
OF debate have succeeded in establishing not a single
reason why the treaty should not go into effect.