Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1921-12-24
VARYING VIEWS
UNLMPORTANT
Says HARDING
Denies That He and u. S.
Delegates Are at Odds
On Peace Pact
FORMAL STATEMENT
President Says He Can See No Neces-
sity For Reservations to Clarity
Pact

Washington, Dc. "a. President
Harding today derided the suggestion
that irreconcilable differences had
developed between him and his dele
cation to the Disarmament Confer
ence over an Interpretation of the
four party treaty, pronounclng such
differing construction as unlmpor-
tant."
At the same time he repudlated the
idea entertained by an increasing
number of Senators that the Amer.
cans are withholding Information"
from the country regarding the treaty.
He did not GO into details, out II
was taken for granted that ne re1er-
red to the charge that Secretary
I Hughes and Senator Lodge. IN deiln-
ing the purposes and bearing OF the
treaty at the recent plenary session
of the Conference made no mention
of the fact that this pact extends to
/ the homeland Of Japan. a fact which
came to light week after the treaty
was made public.
/ Also the President let it be known
! that he saw no necessity Whatever ZOE
anv reservation to the treaty proVld-
ing against the use OF the armed
forces of this country without action
on the part of Congress. He did not
discuss other proposed reservations,
but he cavc the impression that he
would approve Of none that so lar
! have been suggested.
The Presidents views regarding the
difference Of Judgment as to the
Harding himself Tuesday and by ms
trcaty's bearing. between him and ms
delegation. first indicated by Mr.:
views regarding the withholding OF
information. were made public IN
formal statement issued by him at
the press conference this afternoon.
Regarding the suggested reserva-
ton that the treaty not empower the
use of armed forces without the con-
sent Of Congress, the President wants
il understood that no such measure
need be taken by the Senate. lie does
not agree in any sense that the Pacihc
treaty is a military alliance or an
! alliance of any sort. It involves no
entanglcmcnts. but is merely writ
ten engagement on the part OF four
nations to confer among themselves
as to "A course if differences arise or
aggresSions ar" threatened.
No comment, as already stated,
was offered today upon other pro-
posed reservations, one OF when
| now projected would carry out the
! Presidents own view that the four
power treaty no more extends to the
homeland of Japan than to the main
| land Of the United States. What the
! Executive will do when called upon
! to approve such measure as this
cannot be positively indicated, but the
] impression now exists that he will ask
/ for the ratification of the treaty just
as it stands without amendments or
reservations.
Also. the White House let it be
! known today that the President sees
! no connection whatever between the
| four-power treaty and the League OF
Nations. They are only associated,
in Mr.. Harding's mind. as steps to-
ward the same general end-that is.
ncacc in the world. The one, he be-
lieves. may function in on quarter;
the other in another.
! Nor does the President believe that
ANYTHING done at this Conference in
wolves the Treaty Of Versailles. Ger
! tainly. this Government has no sug-
gcstions to make for revision of
! that treaty. Any revision of it which
may he found desirable is to be acted
upon bv the nations which are parties
/ to it, the President contends. no out
side power having any right to sug-
gest notifications Of that compact.
"Under no other circumstances can
| the treaty be ratified" declared SEN
ator McNary. former leader Of the
mild reservationists, this afternoon.
referring to the necessity for textuai
changes or reservations. He insisted
that sentiment is rapidly crystalliz-
ing TO the effect that approval for
| the four-power pact cannot be OBJ
tanned without distinct understand
in@ that the Japanese homeland is not
afforded protection by the United
! States He expressed the fervent hope
that the sitting Conference will make
J the requisite change so that the Jap
anose mainland vii! be excluded.
"if the Conference does not take
action to amend the treaty" said Sem
ator McNary. II hone the Admins
tration will support reservation to
exclude the Japanese mainland