Jasper County Democrat, Volume 22, Number 50, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 20 September 1919 — URGE SENATE TO HASTEN PEACE [ARTICLE]

URGE SENATE TO HASTEN PEACE

Leaders in Forty States, Regardless of Party, Sign Ringing Appeal. TREATY WITHOUT AMENDMENT Sk * Say Every Day of Delay Puts World in Imminent Peril of New War —Point to National Unrest ’ “*— New York, (Special).—Two hundred and fifty leading Americans, Republicans and Democrats representing forty different states and every prominent activity have Joined tn a non-partisan efforts to bring abont the ratification of the Peace Treaty “without amendment and without delay.” Their names are attached to an address to the .United States senate, which was made public today, through the League to Enforce Peace, after it had been sent to every mehiber of the senate. The signers, almost without exception, are men and women of national reputation. They Include such prominent citizens as ex-Rresident Taft, George W. Wickersham, Attorney General It, the last Republican administration ; A. Lawrence Lowell, president of Harvard; Charles d Moore of San [Francisco, president of thfe Panama lExposltlos ; Judge George Gray of Wilmington, Del.; President Samuel Gompers of the American Federation of ILabor, Harry A. Wheeler of Chicago, retiring president of the Chamber of .Commerce of the United States; Mrs. Carrie Chapman Catt, president of the National American Woman Suffrage Association; Cyrus H. K. Curtts, the Philadelphia publisher; President Heber J. Grant of the Mormon Church, Spargo, leader of the Socialists jwho supported the war. The signers declare that every day of delay in ratifying the treaty puts the world in “imminent peril of new {war.” Their statement follows: In the senate at Washington, now that the committee on foreign relations has reported the treaty, the lines Pre sharply drawn between the immelate ratification of the treaty of peace .with Germany, and its amendment 'with a reassembling of the conference and a reopening of negotiations that [would bring great delay and prolonged .uncertainty in settling the great issues of the peace. No partisan plea can be (made. Party lines are already broken. Standing at a distance from the conifiict in the senate chamber, we plead ■for immediate ratification without defay. Our land requires it- A state of (nervous strain, tension and unrest exfats manifesting itself in disturbances, which in some cases have no self evl[dent connection with the war, but ■which are, in fact its aftermath. The {world is put in Imminent peril of new ■wars by the lapse of each day. Dissensions between us and our former allies Are being sown. We firmly believe and solemnly declare that the states and Sties in which we dwell desire immeate peace.

The waging of war steadied and united the American people. Peace •’ will bring prosperity, and prosperity content. Delay in the senate postponing ratification in this uncertain period of neither peace nor war has resulted in indecision and doubt, bred strife and quickened the cupidity of those who sell the dally necessities of life and the fears of those whose daily wage no longer fills the dally market basket We beseech the senate to give the land peace and certainty by a ratification which will not keep us longer in the shadows of possible wars, but give the whole world the light of peace. Reservations in the nature of clarifications in the meaning of the treaty, ‘ not Inconsistent with its terms, will not require the reopening of the neTgotiatlons with Germany and with-our associates in the war, which we all and each united to win. But there is no possibility of doubt that amendment of the treaty, as Is now proposed in the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, would require negotiation and a reopening of all the questions decided at Paris. Months of delay would follow. The perils of the present would become the deadly dangers of the near future.

All the doubF engendered would aid the plots for violent revolution in this and other lands. The issues here and elsewhere between capital and labor, the conspiracy of speculator and profiteer. would all grow and become more perilous. This cannot be. The American people cannot, after a victorious war, permit Its government to petition Germany. which has accepted the treaty, for its consent to changes in the treaty. Yet if the United States should amend the treaty for Us own purpose and policy, Germany would have full right to ask for concessions. Gerhnany has agreed to make no claim In regard to enemy property seized in this country to an amount of seven hundred million dollars. Our recent foe could ask for a reopening of this issue and of the Lusitania claims. It could raise every question open before hostilities tn regard to submarine warfare and the treatment of its nationals in this country. AU the provisions for our trade in Germany raised by the economic clauses of the treaty, mdny of them vital to our industries and our farms, as in dye patents, dye supplies and fertilizers, the working of the Reparation Commission, which superintends the trade of all with Germany, could ail be brought up by Berlin for readjustment by our negotiators, acting for the United States alone and no longer associated with other victorious powers or supported by a victorious American army on the German border. Peace itself, the peace of the world, is delayed until ratification comes. And any amendment postpones peace. Germany and England alone of the principal powers have ratified. The other principals necessarily await our action, influential and powerful as we are today in the world’s affairs. The ravages of war on more than a score of fighting fronts are continued by any needless delay. Let the senate give the world peace by ratification without amendment

Even the amendment for which most can be said, the provision in regard to Shantung, will secure nothing which cannot be gained if China, backed by the powerful advocacy of the United States, addresses Itself to the machinery for righting International wrongs and meeting Just claims created by the league between nations. China, after eighty years of oppressive treaties and despoiled rights, by which all the great powers have profited" directly or indirectly, has for the first time, In this covenant and treaty, the means and method to secure justice and the removal of th£ oppressive economic Interference of stronger nations whose citizens are within her gates, protect* ed by a long succession of international agreements. Moreover, it should be remembered that the clause regarding Shantung was made upon the statement bv Japan that she will return the territory to China and, therefore, upon that condition, compliance with which promise the league can require. The peace of the present and the righteousness of the future can be best secured by the ratification of the covenant and treaty, without amendment Let the senate take no action that will give any party to the treaty, and especially Germany, ground for maintaining that the ratification of the United States is not complete and that changes requiring a resumption of conference and negotiations have been made in it Among the signers in Illinois, Indiana, lowa and Michigan are:

Illinois. John R. Alpine, Viee President American Federation of Labor. Edgar A. Bancroft, Lawyer. Anita McCormick Blaine, Philanthropist. Louise De Koven Bowen, Social Worker. Jacob M. Dickinson, ex-Secretary of War. John V. Parwell, Merchant. Anna A. Gordon, President National Women’s Christian Temperance Union. Edmund D. Hulbert, President Merchants’ Loan and Trust Company. Edward N. Hurley, formerly Chairman U. S. Shipping Board. Charies Cheney Hyde, Lawyer. David B. Jones, Mineral Point Zinc Company. Thomas D. Jones, President Mineral Point Zinc Company. Ira Landrlth, formerly Moderator Presbyterian General Assembly. Cyrus H. McCormick, Manufacturer. Mary E. McDowell, Settlement Worker. Shaller Mathews, Educator, Editor. T. A. Rickert, President International Garment Workers of America. Graham Taylor, Sociologist. John H. Walker, formerly Preaident State Federation of Labor. Hnrry A- Wheeler, formerly President Chamber of Commerce of U. S. oyver Wilson, Master of National Grange. Matthew Woll, President International Photo Engravers’ Union. * Indiana. Frank Duffy, Secretary United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners. William Dudley Foulke, Publicist. Jacob Fischer, Secretary Journeymen Barbers* International Union. Elwood Haynes, Inventor. John H. Holliday, Financier. Franklin McCray, State Senator. Daniel t. Tobin, Treasurer American Federation of Labor. Ulric Z. Wiley. James A. Woodburn, Educator. lowa. George W. Clarke, ex-Governor. j e n. T. Main, President lowa College. E. T. Meredith, Editor Successful Farming. » Wallace M. Short, Mayor of Sioux City. Lafayette Young, ex-Governor. • Michigan. Caroline Bartlett Crane, Minister.

Lofen D. Dickenson? Lieutenant-Gov-ernor. ' Woodbridge N. Ferris, exGovernor. Clay H. Hollister. Banker. Harry B. Hutchins, President University of Michigan. W. D. Mahon, President Amalgamated Association of Street and Electric Railway Employees of America. Dudley E. Waters, Banker. Charles D. Williams, Bishop. A W. Wishart, Clergyman.