Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-01-16
The Treaty Is Ratified.

BY the impressive total OF elghty-nVe
to one, the Senate has placed the seal
of ratification upon the General Pact
for Remuneration of Wharf.-The formal
title of the more popularity designated
kellogg treaty. Eleven days were
souandered in more or less futile dis
cussion, but alls we'll that ends we'll.
The United States. projector-m-chief
of the farthest-reaching move in the
direction of international peace yet
taken. stamps it with final approval.
January Is, 1929, is destined to re-
main a landmark in the annals OF a
war-weary world. The millennium lis
not achieved, but, distant as the goal
may be, mankind has gone at least a
step nearer to it. No one ever claimed
more than that for the Kellogg treaty.
Call it mere gesture-as its detractors
in the Senate did do - the pact to
which fifty-nine nations have pledged
adherence remains, nevertheless, the
most hopeful and practical promise of
pacific settlement of international dis
putes to which civilization has yet ded-
icated itself.
On Capitol Hill there is talk of "vic-
tory" and surrender" The so-called
clarificationists or interpretationists-
idioms with which the Senate of the
United States has enriched the English
language-claim they carried the day
by compelling the Coolidge administra-
ton to capitulate. Led by Senators
Moses, Reed (of MissourD and Bing-
ham, they insisted upon some form of
reservation or resolution which would
convey the Senate's understanding" of
what the treaty does and does not
commit the United States to do. Presi-
dent Coolidge and Secretary Kellogg
held such action to be entirely unnec-
essary, but the ''clarihcationists" have
had their way. A unanimous report
from the foreign relations committee
was introduced, and adopted by the
Senate. 1t sets forth that nothing in
the treaty impairs Americas rights
under the Monroe Doctrine or the pre-
negatives Of self-defense.
AS the administration and Senator
Borah-whose reputation is measurably
enhanced by his calm, considerate and
courageous fight for ratification - al
ways held that to be their own "un-
derstanding," they saw no reason to
decline to let it be voiced in a COM
n1ittee report. It is very much as if the
administration had submitted the al
phabet to the Senate for adoption and
then yielded to an urgent request to
say that the alphabet contains twenty
six letters.
Fears have been expressed that the
Qualification" which the Senate de-
manded may jeopardize ratification of
the treaty by other governments. There
Is small ground for such anxiety. For
eign countries know their United States
Senate almost as well as its own adj
miring constituents know it. Abroad,
as well as at home, people are familiar
with the penchant of the upper house
for meticulous X-raying of interna-
tional treaties. In both hemispheres
the nations are convinced that the
spirit of the American people is a peace
spirit. In the whole hearted enthusi-
asm with which this country has rail-
lied around the Kellogg pact therefore,
our friends overseas will detect the real
significance Of the ratification of the
treaty.
The dillying and the dallying which
preceded yesterdays vote will speedily
pass into deserved oblivion. Scoffers to
the contrary Notwithstanding, it cannot
and does not obscure the indelible fact
that the United States Government,
speaking in the name of this powerful
people, has formally and finally pledged
Its solemn faith to the remuneration of
war as an instrument of national policy,
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