Show Failure to Ratify lIE HE of Versailles with the interwoven cove cove- tre treaty o T 1 nant of the l lea league ue of nations has n again ain failed of ratification by the tile United United States Senate and it t goes oes back to the President marked Ie Advice and consent refused reused refused The long loner unlovely struggle has bas been heen productive productive pro pro- of nothing but hut acrimony except that it t m may y be he said to have e been more or less illuminating to the people to whom the problem will now revert for solution at the polls Of course the question cannot be 00 directly submitted submitted submitted sub sub- for a referendum where the voter could say yes or no but by l his s or her vote ote in favor or of candidates an expression e. of the popular will win may be re registered The final alignment showed a trend in m the direction of rat ratification with reservations reser eighteen of the senators senators senators sen sen- who four months ago ngo voted oled against ratification having been won over oyer However even eyen if the vote yote had been decisively in in favor of or ratification the reservations with which which- the treaty was weighted would have ha encountered the unyielding unyielding unyielding un un- un- un yielding opposition tion of the President President who would have refused to make it effective by Ins his signature In that case responsibility for failure would have hae fall fallen n upon the shoulders of the President while now it is a divided responsibility ty If the action taken by the Senate bad had el ended ded tile the discussion the people might breathe a sigh of relief and look Jook f forward with confidence that import important import nt home problems problems problems lems which press f for r consideration would now be taken up but the obvious necessity of pi declaring that a state of peace exists exist or some similar pronouncement is scheduled scheduled sched sched- for introduction soon with every indication that it it will provoke another prolonged and bit bitter tel discussion The winter-long winter debate has evoked e man many personal explanations of senators as ns to the reasons impelling their votes The charge that politics or party advantage was tho the true cause of differences has met with many dis disavowals The persuasions of party leaders lenders have been partially disregarded or openly ignored Senators have grown rown eloquent in asserting their independence of every consideration except their conception of duty A typical typical typical cal case cage is that of Senator Thomas of Colorado who was importuned by the Louisville Journal Courier-Journal to vote yote for ratification II on the best bes terms possible for the reason that it would give to the treaty treah for all time the thc n name me of V Wilson lson and be he of inestimable advantage ad to the part party In reply Senator Thomas s made a stirring address addres in which he lie said he would as soon abandon the I wife o his bosom disown his children and repudiate his friends as to be he influenced in this great crisis of our I co country's affairs by any consideration o of partisan advantage ad- ad vantage I would rejoice if my conclusion on coincided I with party pady policy he hc sai but hut that happy conse conse- qu quence e would be in no sense controlling of my official conduct i It has been heen since the fife o em apparent ever Xo cl vote yote that an l overwhelming helming majority of the S Senate n te favored ratification uti ic tion in one form or an another yet et tl h exact form was he ro rock k upon which nto varied aried oIt toUl f Ul tl O. O OI I I S t. t 1 I 1 J O It lt j is r regrettable that the tre treaty t c could not noL have ha been considered in the high spirit of at sacrifice that called the American people into perfect unanimity of action during dining d the war It is believed a majority of oJ the thc people arc in inor Savor favor or of ratification with such interpretations e plana- plana hons and reservations resel as would make th the meaning of the covenant plain and unmistakable and not entrench h upon the thc rights of Congress and the requirements of the con eon Inasmuch as the question bids fair fairS to become become be be- come com the paramount issue oC ot the ensuing ensuing- campaign it should be approached in that same spirit of sacrifice that won the tiie war If all of us can manage to put away ay the selfishness of party and person and with such intelligence as we Wc may possess contend for the firmer establishment of the thc principles of human liberty we can cun an win the peace I |