The Washington herald., 1912-03-09
BROKEN TREATIES
LAID TO COLONEL
Taft Advocates Say Rooss-
velt's Manager Played Pol.
itics in Senate Vote.
HINT OF PRIOR PLEDG 6

President Taft's friends are now insist
ant that the broken arbitration pro-
gramme" will be q big political asset for
him. There has been no policy advanced
by the administration that has received
such hearty and widespread support
throughout the country.
II has the backing Of the church people.
and President Taft's political managers
expect that the Senate's action Of Thurs
day will start a wave of protest 1t Is
already apparent that the Taft people
intend to hold Roosevelt and his follow
ers chiefly responsible for the defeat of
the Taft programme, although the full
measure OF blame Will Undoubtedly fall
eventually upon the shoulders of the
Democrats.
Many Democrats acknowledged yester-
day that the defeat OF the arbitration
programme was poor politics for the
Democrats, although they succeeded for
the moment in embarrassing President
Taft and blocking the movement on which
he had concentrated his best efforts.
Could Have Preserved Pacts.
The point that will be held up against
the Democrats and the Roosevelt people
is not that they insisted on safeguarding
the prerogatives Of the Senate. but the
way in which they went about II. By
leaving the treaties in their original form
and passing the resolution Of ratification
proposed by Senator Lodge, they would
have accomplished everything that they
finally accomplished through the man.
Cling OF the treaties. and thus would not
have made It impossible for France and
Great Britain to accept the conventions.
The Lodge resolution provided that the
Senate should retain all Of its powers
In regard TO submitting questions 10 ar
bitration, whether under the powers of
the Joint high commission or not Presi-
dent Taft and Secretary Knox had ac-
cepted this resolution Of ratification, for
they contended that the treaties IN their
original form did not deprive the Senate
Of any OF its prerogatives. In the opinion
OF Senator Lodge and others, however,
the treaties did call upon the Senate for
n surrender of its prerogatfves and the
proposed ratification resolution was de-
signed to remove all doubt on this point
The Taft people had confidently expect
&c that this resolution would be adopted
and the treaties. left in their original
form.
Put Blame on Dixon.
The Taft headquarters issued a state
ment yesterday accusing Senator Dixon.
Roosevelt's campaign manager. with be-
ing responsible for the defeat of the Taft
arbitration programme. On the night
before the vote the Montana Senator
went TO New York TO confer with Roose-
velt's friends, and he and other Roose-
welt supporters showed great glee over
the final result. The statement issued at
the Taft headquarters says:
TO Senator Joseph NJ. Dixon. OF Mon
tana, campaign manager OF the Roose-
welt third-term boom, acting in accord
anca with the views of his candidate.
Theodore Roosevelt, is due the major
portion OF the credit for the emasculation
OF the arbitration treaties between the
United States, France, and Great Britain
Despite the general understanding in the
Senate that Senator Dixon was In favor
Of these treaties, II was evident on the
roll call that the Senator was Influenced
more by political expediency than by the
great principle involved when he cast his
vote for war against peace"
Challenges Mckinley.
Last night Senator Dixon sent a reply
to McKinley's second letter on the Presi-
Dental primaries question, in which he
challenged the Republican manager on
two brand-new propositions. Senator
Dixon points out that under the call is
sued by the Republican National Commit
tee, the Republican State committees are
empowered to determine whether or not
delegates shall be chosen by the Presi-
Dental preference primary method.
Senator Dixon asked Manager McKin-
ley specifically:
First, are you willing to join me in
an appeal to the Republican State COM
mittees TO provide for an expression of
the Republican voters Of the several
States on the choice Of the Republican
Presidential candidate?
rrFl frnr fa1 infN NTH
me in a telegram to the Republican men,
bers OF the legislature n Massachusetts,,
Maryland. and Michigan. which are now
in session, and where Presidential prefer
ence bills are now pending. and where il
is reported that your friends are trying
to defeat their passage. urging them 10
support these measures?"