Indiana daily times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1914-1922, 1922-02-27
SAYS POLITICS
SHOULDHAVENO
PARTIN TREATY
Beveridge Raps Senator Who
Follows His President
Blindly.
FOR FULL DISCUSSION
Special to The Times.


VINCENNES, Ind, Feb. 27.-In an ad-
dress at a business mems luncheon here
today Albert j. Beverage, candidate for
the Republican nomination for United
States Senator, declared that politics
and partisanship have absolutely nothing
to do with a treaty.
Politics stops at the seashore" de-
clared Mr.. Beveridge. "a Senator who
is for treaty because it was negotiated
by a President OF his political party, or
is against a treaty because it was
negotiated by a President Of the oppos-
ing party is merely a ward politician,
huddled in the seat Of a Webster, a
Calhoun, a Summer, a Thurman, or
Blaine"
1.-THE organic law of tho American Ma
ton requires the Senate to pass upon all
treaties" he said. Until that is done, a
treaty is nothing but a proposal.
But when the Senate ratiles a treaty,
the Nation is irreVocably bound by it.
The proposal then becomes a contract
with another nation or nations.
This international contract cannot be
repealed like a statute. If Congress
passes a law, any succeeding Congress
can repeal that law. But a treaty, once
made, cannot be repealed or amended. or
altered In any way-it cannot be gotten
rid Of at ALL except by the consent of all
nations who are parties to the treaty.
1.-THE Constitution declares that a
treaty is the supreme law Of the land
of equal dignity with the Constitution
itself.
so the duty Of every Senator IN pass
ing on a treaty is exalted, solemn and Pc
culiar-much more so than the function
Of President in negotiating a treaty,
since 1t is more final.
mo pressure of any kind ought ever
be brought to bear upon a Senator to act
one way or another on q treaty. It is as
improper and. if possible, more unpatri-
otto to attempt to influence q Senator for
or against a treaty than 1t is to attempt
to influence the decision Of a Judge when
deciding a case.
NATIONS AGENT
IN SACRED SENSE.
"a Senaor, when discharging his con-
stitutional duty in passing on a proposed
treaty, is the agent of the whole Nation
in a unique and welI-nigh sacred sense;
his net affects the future Of all the peOpl.
HE himself must study the treaty-he
must not take anybody's word for it,
must not accept without his own personal
investigation, any other persons interpre
tation Of the treaty.
the microscope, to search out the real
meaning of every phrase and word and
ne must use the telescope to discover
the effect of the treaty in the distant
future.
UNLESS a Senator does all this, he fails
to discharge his duty which the Consti-
tuition commands him to discharge. and
which he took solemn oath to discharge
"a Senator who declares that he IL
for or against a treaty before he has
studied 1t, ignores lis duty, and betrays
the republic; he is like a lawyer with
power of attorney who binds his client
to a contract without understanding 1t.
Because a treaty, when ratified is a
contract from which there is no escape
If 1t turns cut badly for the United
States, it should be publicly debated to
the last limit Of reasonable discussion
debated at least long enough for the
whole country to understand the merits
and dement's Of the treaty. 1t is a moral
crime TO attempt to intimidate Senators
into hasty action on a treaty.
Even temporary public opinion must
have no weight with Senators when con-
sidering a treaty; because, as everybody
knows, foreign propaganda is always at
work to create just such sentiment, and,
WneH the peoples SOBER second LnOuSnJ
asserts itself and the people get their
bearings, the feeting public opinion Of
today may be the exact reverse of the
lasting public opinion of tomorrow. Just
that has happened many times in our
history.
ITO sum up: When you think Of
Senator passing on a treaty, think of
Judge deciding a case in court; and then
magnify that comparison a thousand
times. Only in such fashion will you be
able to make just and accurate esti-
mate Of the legal and moral status Of an
American Senator when deciding on the
highest duty that any official in our
Government has to perform-the duty of
rendering judgment on a treaty which
irrevocably affects the happiness and
prosperity Of every man, woman and
child in the United States