Capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1919-1980, 1922-03-11

4 POWER
TREAT Y


two grounds, expressing positions
that are opposed one to the other.
1t is asserted that the treaty In
effect is an alliance between the
four great powers for offensive
and defensive purposes, or at least,
1t is contended we will be drawn
into that position in the end and
that we may be forced into war
without our consent. / maintain
that there is nothing In the treaty
itself that justifies such an inter
probation being placed upon 1t;
that an agreement by man or by
an alien to respect the rights of
his neighbors is an obligation that
relates to his own conduct and
does not bid him TO aggressive ac-
tion because the other party to
the contract whose rights he has
agreed to respect, becomes In
yolved in difficulties.
Reservation Advocated.
"But the question is not left
here. The foreign relations com
mittee have moved a reservation
to the treaty, which beyond a
doubt will be accepted by the SEN
ate, which reads as follows:
The United States under
stands that under the statement
in the preamble or under the
terms Of this treaty, there is no
commitment to armed force, no al
lance, no obligation to join in
any Defense
when the treaty is ratified
with this understanding on the
part Of our government, what
ground is left to those who con-
tend the treaty is an offensive and
defensive alliance to stand upon?
None that | can see.
"On the other hand, it is assert
ed that, as the treaty does not bind
the high contracting parties to use
force in carrying out its terms,
and because they cannot in the
future be bound to any action un-
til their free consent Is obtained,
1t means nothing; that it Is worse
than useless to sign it, and there
fore it should be defeated. To my
mind, this argument Is the stand
Of the men of the old school, the
school of thought that has been
dominant in the government of
this world of the last 1000 years;
that philosophy that believes that
the world can and must be gov
erned only by force and that
agreements, to be binding, must
have the power of force behind
them.
IF this were true, it would de-
stroy all the faith of the Christian
nations of the world in their eff
forts to obtain peace by mutual
understanding.
Force Killed Old Pacts.
"You may call the Versailles
treaty an alliance. | voted for it
because l believed it was a sin
cere effort to secure the peace of
the world by mutual understand
ing. The present treaty is not an
alliance, but il it were an alliance
intended to keep the peace through
force l should support it. The
dangers of past alliances have not
been due to the fact that they
were binding agreements between
the powers that sign them, but be-
cause they contemplated the use
of force for the benefit Of the sig
natory powers. An alliance based
on right and justice between ma
tions, intended to aid in securing
the peace of the world would not
be offensive to me. The first step
in any effort to keep the peace
among nations must be based up
on mutual agreement to respect
the rights of others. The four
power pact does that. ;
IF the senate of the United
States ratifies this pending treaty,
am fully satisfied that there will
disappear not only any real cause
for war but there will no longer I
exist the opportunity for war that l
has threatened us in the past two I
decades; and peace will be estab- :
lished between the four great sea
powers that now control the des- .
TIMES of the Pacific ocean.
"As long as conditions were al
lowed to remain in the Far East
MS they have existed for the past
two decades, danger lurked be- l
hind every dispute and the war Y
clouds gathered when every ma
tional issue was raised. These con-
ditions threatened out national Sc
curity, for as long as our flag
floats over the distant islands of -
the Pacific. national honor re- 1
uuires that We shall defend the S
peoples of these islands from at 5
Jacks by other nations. =
Peace at Stake.
"This is the real issue involved
n the four power treaty, the issue
Il peace In the Orient, the issue ?
i safety to our country, the issue
I the lives of our young men, N
Who should be saved from this
anger for the upbuilding of
reater America.
"A number of treaties were ne
otiated at the conference in N
on the limitation of 4
but this four power
eaty is the real treaty of peace.
he naval treaty is remarkable. in II