Whereas under the Constitution it is a function of the Senate to advise and consent to, or dissent from, the ratification of any treaty of the United States, and no such treaty can become operative without the consent of the Senate expressed by the affirmative vote of two thirds of the Senators present; and
Whereas owing to the victory of the arms of the United States and of the nations with whom it is associated, a Peace Conference was convened and is now in session at Paris for the purpose of settling the terms of peace; and
Whereas a committee of the Conference has proposed a constitution for the League of Nations and the proposal is now before the Peace Conference for its consideration; Now, therefore, be it
Resolved by the Senate of the United States in the discharge of its constitutional duty of advice in regard to treaties, That it is the sense of the Senate that while it is their sincere desire that the nations of the world should unite to promote peace and general disarmament, the constitution of the League of Nations in the form now proposed to the Peace Conference should not be accepted by the United States; and be it
Resolved further, That it is the sense of the Senate that the negotiations on the part of the United States should immediately be directed to the utmost expedition of the urgent business of negotiating peace terms with Germany satisfactory to the United States and the nations with whom the United States is associated in the war against the German Government, and that the proposal for a League of Nations to insure the permanent peace of the world should be then taken up for careful and serious consideration.
I ask unanimous consent for the present consideration of this resolution.
Mr. Swanson: I object to the introduction of the resolution.
Mr. Lodge: Objection being made, of course I recognize the objection. I merely wish to add, by way of explanation, the following: The undersigned Senators of the United States, Members and Members- Elect of the Sixty-sixth Congress, hereby declare that, if they had had the opportunity, they would have voted for the foregoing resolution:
Henry Cabot Lodge James E. Watson
Philander C. Knox Thomas Sterling
Lawrence Y. Sherman J. S. Frelinghuysen
Harry S. New W. G. Harding
George H. Moses Frederick Hale
J. W. Wadsworth, Jr. William E. Borah
Bert M. Fernald Walter E. Edge
Albert B. Cummins Reed Smoot
F. E. Warren Asle J. Gronna
Frank B. Brandegee Lawrence C. Phipps
William M. Calder Selden P. Spencer
Henry W. Keyes Hiram W. Johnson
Boies Penrose Charles E. Townsend
Carroll S. Page William P. Dillingham
George P. McLean I. L. Lenroot
Joseph Irwin France Miles Poindexter
Medill McCormick Howard Sutherland
Charles Curtis Truman H. Newberry
L. Heisler Ball
I ought to say in justice to three or four Senators who are absent at great distances from the city that we were not able to reach them; but we expect to hear from them to-morrow, and if, as we expect, their answers are favourable their names will be added to the list.