TOW #23 - Treaty of Versailles Political Cartoon

When the Treaty of Versailles was originally drafted, US President Woodrow Wilson took on the role as a leader among leaders and introduced several of his ideas. More specifically, he defended his “Fourteen Points,” under which secret treaties were disallowed, the seas must have remained free, and closest to Wilson’s heart, a League of Nations would be established. However, with the League of Nations, US Congress would not have the power to declare war – instead, the League of Nations would agree on when to intervene in conflicts. This, in the cartoon, a clever metaphor is used to represent the distaste of the US Senate towards the Treaty of Versailles, and more specifically the League of Nations.

The cartoonist uses a wedding metaphor to describe the U.S. Senate’s opposition to the Treaty. To the left of the cartoon stand Woodrow Wilson and a woman labeled “foreign entanglements,” who are clearly getting married – that is, Wilson is devoting himself to the League of Nations (which manages foreign affairs) and thus “marrying” it. Under this marriage, Wilson is vowing to remain loyal and dedicated to his relationship with his bride (foreign entanglements). Meanwhile, the marriage officiant is asking if there is anyone who opposes to the “marriage” – these two aspects give context for the focal point of the cartoon. When looking at the scene, eyes are drawn to the man smashing through the window, labeled “U.S. Senate.” Obviously, this man (representing the U.S. Senate) is opposed to the marriage. While has not actually said anything, it is clear that because of the terms of the Treaty of Versailles – the establishment of the League of Nations – the Senate’s power is restricted.

Ultimately, the use of metaphor effectively reveals the feelings of the U.S. Senate towards the Treaty of Versailles. By comparing Wilson’s love and devotion towards his League of Nations to an actual marriage, the artist clearly depicts how willing Woodrow Wilson was to abandon the old power of the U.S. Senate and transition to a global organization. Meanwhile, by illustrating the U.S. Senate in the form of a man jumping through a window, hectically trying to put forth his opposition, the Senate’s resistance to the Treaty of Versailles is immediately apparent. Altogether, the artist interestingly depicts the relationships between Wilson, his Senate, and the world, through the use of metaphor.

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