The Washington herald., 1911-05-29
.ARB|TRAT|ONW|Ll
HAVE ROCKY ROAD
IN UPPER HOUSE
Many Protests Against Rati-
ficatiOn Reach Senate.
NATURE OF OPPOSITION

An extremely rocky road, leading
dangerously close to that institution
known as the Senate's treaty grave.
yard, is being prepared for Presi,
dent Taft's general arbitration
agreements with Great Britain and
other nations.
AN AVALANCHE OF PROTESTS.
Not only is an avalanche Of protests
against the ratification OF the treaty roll
ing down upon Senators. but diligent in
quiry fails to locate any Senator or group
OF Senators w.-o will make a determined
fight for the adoption Of the document.
The onslaught Of objections has found
Senators as a rule either totally ignorant
Of the terms OF the treaty. as given out in
digest by Secretary Knox. or already
pre5udiced against treaties in general, on
the ground that they are merely gentle
mems agreements. and lightly swept aside
when II becomes time to fight.
The remarkable volume of protest
against the treaty which Is being filed
daily with the Senate Committee on For
eign Relations seems in large measure
Inspired by Irish-American sentiment,
which is distinctly averse to any trucking
to Great Britain.
What the Protests Say.
The treaty. as its promoters describe
II, would serve no American interest"
most OF the protests read, but on the
contrary. would imperii our friendly re-
lations with foreign nations. The pro-
posed new arbitration treaty with Great
Britain is wholly unnecessary. and is
sought by her not in the interests of
peace. but to influence and coerce other
European powers with which we have
no quarel-notably Germany"
Thousands Of petitions Of this tone
have reached the various Senators and
have even rained in upon the House Com
mittee on Foreign Affairs. Of which Rep
resentative Sulzer is chairman, the be-
lief being that the House as we'll as the
Senate has a final word as to treaties
Many prominent labor organizations
through their officers are signers Of these
petitions.
A serious phase Of the matter lies in
mencing to examine with unfavorably
critical air certain provisions of the
treaty as outlined in Secretary Knox's
digest, with the result that in the last
few days the gossip has commenced to
run about the Senate that that body
vii be called upon to go further than 1t
has ever done before In the line Of
treaty ratification IL It faces the British
American proposal. or the treaties pro-
x,-NsL
with anything like q favorable mien The
proposed reference OF differences that
either nation thinks internationally JUS
ticiable to a commission Of inquiry with
power to make recommendations for their
settlement, Is a step which several Sena-
tors admit comes closer to resembling a
stride. And to permit such
a commission to bind two nations to ar
they say, at least needs think
ing over. as does the proposition that
the commission shall delay its findings
government
Germans Also Oppose.
A vigorous petition Of the United Ger
and United Irish-Ameri-
can Societies Of New York reached the
Senate members last week and made a
deep impression. Asserting that the agi-
tation Of the treaty with Great Britain
Is not spontaneous. but has been created
and fostered by the lasish use of money
''wrung from the blood and sweat of
American workingmen." the petitioners
set forth:
The vital interests Of this country
should not be made subject Of arbi-
tration. The existing arbitration treaty
with Great Britain provides for the
peaceful adjustment Of all differences not
involving vital interests. and no more
can be conceded with safety to any
nation having territorial and CONNER |
,ial motives for the demand. All ques-
tons connected with the military de-
,ense Of the country. our control OF the |
Canal and the Monroe doctrine
should. in our judgment, be excluded
rom arbitration
The petitioners say that peace between !
he United States and England Is now |
secure, and that a new treaty. therefore. |
s wholly unnecessary. They then add:
That England wants this treaty as |
Measure Of national defense, and as the |
irst step to an alliance for war is an /
act. publicly .acknowl- |
edged by responsible British statesmen |
Ind tacitly admitted by its leading ad-
1ocates in America"
VIII See Secretary Knox.
This condition Of affairs has led many |
Senator's to say that they will seek early
opportunity to confer with Secretary
Knox in order to learn the extent Of
he treaty and be able to answer intel
igently the letters Of inquiry which they
ire daily receiving.