New-York tribune., 1921-04-21
Bill as Backed by Harding
Passes After 4 Hours IF
Bitter Debate, Efforts
at Amendments Failing
Calder Votes Yes,
Wadsworth No
Measure Provides Gift of
25 Millions and Use of
Canal Free at All Times


WASHINGTON, April 20.--Followinr
bitter debate which lasted through
most of the afternoon. the Senate, by
50 to 10, voted late to-day to ratify the
$4,000 900 treaty with Colombia. Forty
Republicans, under the leadership of
Senator Lodge. and twenty-nine Demo-
Gratis, under the leadership of Senator
Underwood, lined up in favor of the
treaty. Fifteen Republicans and four
Democrats voted against it.
Senator Wadsworth spoke against
the treaty and voted against it, where
as Senator Calder supported it.
Efforts to amend the treaty failed,
and it goes through in the form re-
ported from the Foreign Relations
Committee and in the form in which 1t
had the Endorsement of President Har-
ding. In substance it provides for the
payment to Colombia of $25 900, 900 in
gold in five installments, and it gives
Colombia free use of the canal. even to
use by her ships of war and her troops
at all times. The treaty, by it's pre-
amble, is entered into "to remove all
the misunderstanding growing out of
the political events in Panama in No
vember, 1908"
A number of amendments was pro-
posed this afternoon, but all were voted
down. The first one was by Senator
Poindexter, of Washington, intended to
allow Colombia to have her products
carried through the canal not free. as
the treaty contemplates, but on the
same terms as nations other than the
United States. This was defeated. 50
to 80.
Another amendment by Senator Poin-
dexter, to strike out the provision in
the treaty which allows Colombia to
send free through the canal at all times
was defeated by so to 90.
Senator Poindexter also proposed to
cut the amount of payment down to
S15 5,O00,000. This was beaten by 68 to
%,
Wadsworth Amendment Beaten
Senator Wadsworth offered an
amendment which would have changed
the treaty so that instead of Colombia
having the right to use the canal free
tor her ships of war, troops and war
materials at all times she would not
have it when at war with another
country with which the United States
was at peace. This was beaten so to 80.
Senator Ransdell, of Louisiana.
wanted to increase the payment to
$40 100000 and offered such an amend
ment, but it was defeated viva voce.
Senator Borah threw something in
the nature of bomb into the camp Of
the supporters of the treaty by Offering
an amendment which recited that moth
ing in the treaty or the payment be
taken as an admission that the seces-
sion of Panama in 1903 was in any way
aided or abetted by the United States
government or any of its representa-
tives, or be construed as meaning that
the United States violated in any way
it's obligations to Colombia.
In committee of the whole this was
beaten by 49 to 80. Later it was de-
feated in the Senate proper by So to 80.
At first Senator Lodge and other Re-
publican leaders supporting the treaty
lined up for the Borah amendment, but
later turned against it. The Democrats
generally voted against it.
The debate to-day, which ran on
interruption from noon until
a o'clock, was characterized by much
feeling and by frequent references on
the part of the opponents of the agree
ment to "blackmail" and coil"
Senator Norris, of Nebraska, opened
the discussion and called attention
to many rights granted to Colombia in
the canal, such as the right to send
her ships of war and troops and ma
terials of war through free at all times
and to send through free of charge her
products.
Norris Attacks Measure
"Can any one defend this ?" he asked.
. Have we deceived the American people
in saying the canal is theirs? 1t seems
to me that no defense for such a course
can be concocted. We charge Colombia
only half what America pays in some
instances. We call upon the over
burdened American taxpayer to make
sacrifices in order that we may give
vast concessions and actual money to
Colombia for something they have no
right to and which we do not owe her.
"Under the favored nation clause of
treaties with various nations they can
and will demand the same rights for
themselves that we give to Colombia.
They can demand it also under the
provisions of the -Pauncefote
Continued on page three)