The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1921-08-10
Johnson SEEKS
LIGHT ON TREATY
AS Senator Wants to Know
What Administration
Is Doing
SENATOR LODGE
ALSO IGNORANT
Others Getting Restless Because Advice
Is Not Sought-Press Reports Treaty
Has Been Submitted to German Reich
stag-Americans Feel Sighted.

HAS Been W ARNASi
stag-Americans Feel Sighted.
BY DAVID LAWRENCE.
(Special Dispatch to The Reformer.) |
Copyright 1921.
WASHINGTON, Aug. 1O.-Senator
Hiram johnson of California has been
making inquiries of Senator Lodge, chair
man of the senate foreign relations COM
mittee, to determine what is going on be-
tween the United States government and
the German government with respect to-
the establishment of peace.
Mr.. Johnson is a member of the SEN
ate foreign relations committee and as
such feels that he is entitled TO know what
steps are being taken to make peace with
Germany. He asked Mr.. Lodge if it was
true that treaty was being negotiated
with Germany. Mr.. Lodge said he had
not been advised by the executive branch
of the government Senator Johnson
wanted to know if the German reichstag
committee on foreign affairs had copy
of proposals to be embodied in a peace
treaty and again the Massachusetts Sena-
tor profeSSed ignorance.
What would we have said if all this
| had happened under the last administra-
ton - exclaims Senator Johnson. as he
points out that not a SclntIlla OF lnforna-
| ton has been given the senate foreign re-
| latiOnS committee about the status of our
negotiations or conversations with the
| German government about peace. This
| fact has not been generally known. 1t
| has been supposed right along that PreSi-
dent Harding and Secretary Hughes have
| been consulting the senate. That was the
chief criticism levelled against the Wilson
| adminiStra tiOn-a refusal to take cognlZ-
ance of the Senate'S function as a part of
the treaty-making power. Senator Lodge
| himself insisted that the senate had a
right to have it's way in advance of the
actual signing of a peace treaty and he
circulated a r0und-r0bin which was signed
| by practically all the Republican senators
expressing the Senate's views about a
treaty which was then under negotiation
Senate Not Consulted.
| The Massachusetts, senator was asked
whether the senate would have a similar
| chance TO express it's views on the new
treaty while it was being negotiated, but
this time he is reported to have said that
he supposed it was not matter of con-
Germ for the senate until after the treaty
was actually signed and submitted to the
senate for ratification. Whether Mr..
Lodge meant to convey the impression that
he himself had reversed his previous
ton in peace negotiations or whether he
meant that the executive branch of the
government felt it was not a matter of
tcOncern for the senate is the basis of a
good deal of speculation at the capitol.
Senator johnson incidentally is not the
only member of the senate foreign rela-
tons committee who says he is in the
dark about the foreign policy of the adj
lminiStratiOn. Others are saying the same
thing. Senator Lodge. as Republican
leader, naturally bears the brunt of this
idiScOntent He asked for an engagement
with President Harding just as soon. as
the latter returned from his Today trip
Whether it was to get more information
about the German treaty or to discuss {
senate recess was not indicated
No Information Given.
Al Certainly the department of state ha,
not given any sign of letting anybod,
/ know what sort of treaty is being outlined
\ to Germany and it may be that Mr.
i Lodge, having not been given details o
1 the parleyS by Secretary Hughes. is ask
A ing the White House for information
4 The usual course is for the president o.
I secretary of state to advise the chairman
of the senate foreign relations committee.
about important steps in foreign polio!
A even though the details are Frequently
4 withheld. In the case of a treaty which i
likely to be a source of controversy effort!
u are sometimes made to canvass sentimen
4 in the senate in advance to determine {
\ course of action. On this OCCASION Their,
3 is no explanation of the department. o
4 states policy except one. 1t is being sale
/ that for reasons of domestic politics j
4 might not be wise to precipitate a contro
\ verSy before the treaty is actually signed
When once the pact is made there woul,
\ be difficulty in amending it because tina
4 would necesSitate further negotiation
4 with Germany and more delay. The pol
A icy is evidently to confront the senat,
with an accomplished fact just as Mr.
Wilson endeavored to do when he submit
II ted the Versailles pact.
Only Knows News Reports.
Summed up, the senate foreign relations
\ committee is officially in ignorance of tn,
I fact that Secretary Hughes is discussin,
l a new treaty with the German govern
I ment. 1t knows only what the press dis
1 patches from Berlin have reported
4 namely. that American COMMISSIONS
l Dresel has laid before the German govern
4 ment memorandum outlining the kind o
1 a treaty the state department would lik
to see formulated. The German govern
I ment has been discussing the matter witt
1 its committees in the Reichstag to lear,
\ If approval would be given the pact TIL
I answers thus far given in the informa
I exchanges are said to indicate eventual
Efagreement. but just what is to be in tn
new treaty or what understandings ar
being secretly made with German govern
HIVE, L. 4.