The Washington herald., 1912-03-01
TREATIES IMPER|L
MONROE DOCTRINE
Senator Lodge, in Notable
Speech, Points to Danger
in Arbitration Pacts.
CANNOT CHANGE POLICY

Henry Cabot Lodge, of Massachusetts,,
delivered a notable speech in the Senate
yesterday afternoon on the pending arbl-
tration treaties with France and Great
Britain. Senator Lodge opposed the
treaties in the form in which they came
from the White House, but urged their
ratification with an amendment which
will specifically insure this country
against the arbitration of such questions
as the Monroe doctrine.
Senator Lodge resented the attempt
that has been made to make it appear
that the Senate of the United States is
opposed to arbitration and to the peace
movement. Inferentially, he aimed sew
eral of his criticisms at President Taft
and Secretary of State Knox.
SENATE Misrepresented.
These treaties have been made the
subject of public agitation and organized
clamor," said he, land the attitude OF
the Senate on the questions involved in
the treaties has been grossly misrepre-
sented and the real issues clouded and
confused"
The history of the Senate. he added.
would show that that body has been
very active in the promotion of peaceful
means of settling disputes. 1t had, he
pointed out. made seventy-siX treaties
with different countries providing for
special or general arbitration, and OF
these the Senate has ratified seventy-fve.
Doctrine Not ArbItrhbIe.
.~senator Lodge contended that under the
treaties in their present form the United
States would be obliged TO arbitrate ev-
cry question in the event Of the Joint
High Commission of Inquiry deciding that
the question was arbitrable. Both the
President and Secretary Knox have con-
tended that questions arising under the
Monroe doctrine, and similar questions
Of national honor and vital interest viii
not fall within the scope Of the treaties
as drown. Great interest was expressed
in some of the illustrations used by Sena-
tor Lodge because of his well-known Of
fetal knowledge of our foreign relations.
He referred to the movement on the
part of Japan to obtain foothold on
the shore OF Magadalene Bay.
The wide discussion OF the pending ar
bitration treaties. he said, had been
brought about by the alleged delegation
of the treaty-making power, in the third
clause of article 3.
Those opposed to the ratification OF the
treaties unamended claim this clause IN
fringes upon the constitutional treaty
making power of the Senate Secretary
Knox and President Taft hold otherwise
and are supported by many Senators.
Mr.. I,odg, urged that it should be clari-
fed by an amendment or an explanation
in the Senate's resolution Of ratification.
Argues Meaning of Clause
Clause 3 of article is as follows:
1t is further agreed. however, that in
cases in which the parties disagree as
10 whether or not a difference is subject
to arbitration under article l of this
treaty, that question shall be submitted
TO the Joint high commission of inquiry,
and If all, or all but one, of the members
of the commission agree and report that
such difference is within the scope OF
article it shall be referred to arbitra-
tion in accordance with the provisions Of
this treaty
Under that clause, Senator Lodge de-
clared. IL the commission decided that a
given question was arbitrable, the Presi-
dent and the Senate would be bound,
morally, not TO object to the special
agreement which would follow on the
ground that the subject of the agreement
was not arbitrable. Clause three, he de-
rIared. carried a promise which the
United States could not fulfill under GER
tain contingencies.
Tells of Japanese Aggression.
Are you ready to submit to arbitra-
tion," he asked, ''the right of evpatria-
ton, which we have enforced more than
fifty years? VIII you arbitrate with
Russia the question Of her right to dis
criminate against certain classes Of
American citizens on the ground Of race
and religion as We discriminate against
certain immigrants on grounds Of crime
and disease? / will not promise to sub
nit those questions to argitration.
THE Monroe doctrine could not, in
general terms, come before the joint
high commission, but it would appear
there inevitably as incidental for in
stance, to the taking of a harbor on