Episode Nineteen: John Rockefeller Jr.
Episode Nineteen, Part VIII
Number 26: John Rockefeller Jr.
Party: Republican
43 years old, from Ohio
The Treaty of Paris, Part II
As the election cycle of 1916 raged, President Rockefeller remained in Paris to finalize the peace treaty with the Allies and Central Powers to bring about a final conclusion to the Great War. By the summer of 1916, German forces, though depleted, started to turn the tide against the socialist revolutionaries in the country. At the same time, socialist uprisings began to occur in war-torn Russia.
Although Rockefeller opposed French (and British, reluctantly) plans to punish Germany, Rockefeller ultimately fell silent and complied with the harsh measures thrust onto Germany. The Monarchy was to be abolished, a republic instituted, and only a small standing army of 150,000 was to be appropriated – after the end of the German Civil War. It was however, in the Allies interest to see the German forces subdue and end the socialist revolution in Germany. The once mighty Austro-Hungarian Empire had been decimated and had accepted earlier terms to peace. While the Habsburgs retained their ancient throne, Hungary, Czechoslovakia, and Romania had all been lost to new nationalist countries or had joined with existing national countries (Austrian Romania).
In Germany, the German Empire, although it would cease being an empire, was largely intact, only with a demilitarized zone in the Rhineland. Germany was also forced to compensate France, the United Kingdom, and Russia for war damages sustained during the war, with a small sum going to the United States as well. Economically, Germany was also to be strangled with anti-trade declarations and laws, with France and Britain withdrawing trade exports to Germany down to less than 10% total exports by the year 1925. Rockefeller, despite his opposition, remained reluctant to voice his disdain for the plan because of his hopes for the creation of the League of Nations. Rockefeller’s allies promised him that, if he went along with the French plan to restrict/punish Germany for the war, the Allies would lend their full support for the prospective League of Nations.
Germany, forced into submission, accepted the terms of the peace treaty. In 1917, Kaiser Wilhelm II abdicated the throne and the Weimer Republic was instituted, with another wave of socialist and communist uprisings occurring, that would last until put down by the German Army in 1918.
The League of Nations was the planned international coalition of nation states that would prevent further war, foster international cooperation and development, spread liberal democratic institutions, and promote foreign aid to many of the newly independent countries emerging in the post-war world. Rockefeller’s dream was for the United States of America to be the global leader of this league, with the United Kingdom and France following close behind. This tripartite alliance heading the League of Nations would hopefully keep the peace that was established in the Treaty of Paris – indefinitely. As President Rockefeller put it, “This League of Nations will ensure global peace for generations to come.”
Delegates from all major countries, including some of the newly independent nations of the former Austro-Hungarian Empire, gathered in Paris for the final rounds of the peace talks.
After the League, Rockefeller also constituted an additional plan to foster internationalism and ensure a successful peace: governments should be open in dealing with other governments (no secret alliances), open international trade, the newly independent nations should be democratic in origin (but allowing for self-determination demands that the people “vote” for their domestic governance. Theoretically, if the population voted for a socialist republic, there would be no intervention from the US, UK, and France), the reduction of military forces of every nation back to pre-war levels, and that naval forces should be capped based on pre-war sizes. Rockefeller’s ability to include the Allies with his plans made him an international celebrity of sorts. He signed the Treaty of Paris, with all of his provisions, on October 29, 1916.
Rockefeller, upon winning the 1916 election, receiving the news overseas, returned to the United States in triumph. However, he would be forced into fighting with Republicans and Democrats and Progressives over the internationalist aims of the Treaty of Paris. In American governmental law, foreign treaties need ratification from the US Senate. Republican Senator Henry Cabot Lodge, vowed to join with anti-internationalist forces within the Democratic and Progressive parties to overturn the outlines of the Treaty of Paris. In 1917, President Rockefeller, although coming home a celebrity and victor of re-election, would have a major domestic political struggle on his hands.
Preparing to Defend the Treaty
In March of 1917, as Rockefeller was sworn in for a second term, he re-shuffled his cabinet to include more supportive internationalists. In a surprise move to some, but less surprising to others, he nominated New Jersey Senator Woodrow Wilson to become Secretary of State. However, this was seen as a political lapse on Rockefeller’s part. Although the nomination would cross party lines and garner decent Democratic support, Wilson, being a Senator, was one of the more vocal supporters of the Treaty and League of Nations. His nomination to the State Department meant one less pro-peace treaty vote in Senate if New Jersey’s newly appointed Senator was an isolationist.
At the same time, Rockefeller convened a private meeting in the White House with members of his party and party representatives, including former President Theodore Roosevelt. Rockefeller wanted to ensure and outline his plan of selling the peace treaty to the nation and how vital it was for the United States to be the strong-willed moral leader of the League of Nations. Prospective support for the Peace Treaty was estimated that 2/3 of the Republican Party would support the treaty, and about 40% of the Democratic Party would also support the treaty, with unknown support from the Progressive Christian Party. The Democrats would be the wildcard. According to Woodrow Wilson, a majority of Democrats had internationalist leanings, how strong however – was an unknown factor. In addition, Wilson informed Rockefeller that it was probable that Democrats with internationalist leanings would vote against the treaty on party opposition grounds.
Republican Senator Henry Cabot Lodge of Massachusetts, also the Senate Majority leader. He was the fiercest critic of the planned League of Nations, and was a rising star in the Republican Party's isolationist wing.