Jasper County Democrat, Volume 22, Number 75, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 17 December 1919 — DEMAND FOR RATIFICATION [ARTICLE]

DEMAND FOR RATIFICATION

In his letter in The News of yesterday, John H. Holliday pointed out with great clearness the serious consequences that would follow the rejection of the peace treaty. ' He spoke none too strongly. The league of nations, so far from being a fantilful thing, is, conditions being what they are, a necessity. There must, for many at least, be combined action of some sort if Europe is ever to. reach a settled condition. We are by. our very participation in the war bound to assist in restoring a stable and social order. Our selfish interests Impel us to ( this course, since we can not be safe unless Europe enjoys peace and quiet. No way has yet been discovered of evading a duty without harm to the evaderMr. Holliday things that the people should demand ratification. They are already doing pretty well.

The Yale faculty, or a weighty majority thereof, has declared for ratification, and is urging the Connecticut senators to vote for the treaty and the league. Yesterday it was announced that 40. prominent California Republicans, members of the League to Enforce Peace, had asked Chairman Hays to appeal to Republican senators to ratify the treaty at once without amendments or reservations that would make necessary resubmission. These men say: > ,

The defeat of the treaty and a separate peace with Germany will be a betrayal of our allies and a victory for Germany. It will mean a continuance of the present chaotic condition in Europe with indescribable suffering there and certain reaction here. The responsibility for this, if the .treaty fails, can not be shifted or concealed. It will rdst upon the majority of the Republican senators, and, through them, upon the party, and the issue, which should not be a party one, will be made so. We are confident that the vast majority of the Reipublicans, in this state at least, are in favor of the treaty and that the position of the Republican senators will seriously damage the party. All sorts of organizations, religious, commercial, industrial and labor, have demanded ratification. Only this week the Shelby County Farmers’ association declared for the treaty. . But the campaign should be speeded up. The pressure of public opinion should be brought to bear on the senate. For a time the people seemed be somewhat indifferent, but this was only because they took ratification for granted. They have learned, to their surprise, that defeat was within the range of possibilities. It is perfectly clear that an effort is being made to separate this nation from its associates in the war, though it would be most unfair to say that this is the object of all who oppose the treaty. Nevtrtheless, this influence counts for a good deal. Ever since the armistice the Germans, and the ipro- Germans in this country, have been seeking to drive a wedge between America on the one hand, and France and Great Brtain on the other. Nothing could contribute more to the success of this campaign than the defeat of the treaty. The California Republicans are quite right when they say that it would be “a betrayal of our allies and a victory for Germany.”—lndianapolis News.