New-York tribune., 1921-12-06
Harding toPut
ALI Arms Pacts
Up to Senate
President Tells Advisers
Chamber Has Right to
Express Its Opinion ON
Actions of Conference
Decision Pleases Powers
Japanese Especially Think
1t Will Mou;fy Opposi-
ton at Home to 5-5-3
By..Carter Field

WASHINGTON, Dec. 5.--President
Harding will submit every agreement
reached by the armament limitation
conference to the Senate for its ap-
proyal. There will be three Of these
agreements. One, on the naval arma-
ment limitation, as told exclusively in
The Tribune this morning, will be in
the form of treaty. The other two may
not be formal treaties, but even if they
are in the form of agreements which
constitutionally do not require the
sanction of the Senate, it is the inten-
ton of the President to give the SEN
ate an opportunity to voice its approval
or disapproval.
One of the other two will be the un-
derstanding reached in connection with
the Western Paclnc islands. The other
will relate to continental matters in
Asia, dealing chiefly with the solutions
of the Chinese questions.
Naval Approval Conceded
President Harding, it is learned, has
voiced this desire to the American dele.
CATION or the armament limitation
conference in most positive terms. The
point has been made in some quarters
that the approval of the Senate could
not possibly be refused as to the naval
armament limitation, considering the
sentiment of Congress generally or
economy. On the other hand, it has
been pointed out, the agreement which
may be reached on the Pacific islands
and even more on China, naturally will
very practical considerations influenc.
ing it to some extent. Therefore, ii
has been contended in the discussions
OF this question with the President
sHre ,isS may he attendant upon sub
mitting the questions to the Senate.
President Harding has brushed this
contention aside, it is learned, express.
ing the view that the Senate should be
given an opportunity to discuss the
questions involved, and to express tc
the world the approval or disapprova,
which its members feel.
The Presidess, it is said has referred
the agreement reached between this
country and Canada in 1917--the Rush
Bagot agrcement-Mr. Monroe being
Secretary OF State at the time. There
was no constitutional requirement that
the Senate approve this agreeme MT
either, it was pointed out, but it was
sent to the Senate and approved by a
unanimous vote.
Precedent Is Historic
Both President Harding and the
members of the American delegation. it
is learned, are much interested in this
precedent because it was this agree
lnent. which provided that only one
patrol boat should be maintained on the
Great Lakes, which is one of the most
spectacular examples in all history of
two neighbor nations preserving the
letter and spirit of an agreement look
but to the limitation of armament.
AS pointed out in The Tribune yes
terday in connection with the desire of
Great Britain and Japan for approval
by the Senate Of the naval armament
limitation agreement, which had re-
suited in the determination that this
should take the form of treaty, there
is in the decision to submit all the
agreements to the Senate some concern
for the desires of the other powers.
They will have considerably more
faith, after the Versailles Treaty cpl
sode, in any agreement made by the
OnlJea OtaSes wntcA mas the approval
Of the body, which in the case of the
Versailles Treaty made the action of
the then administrator futile.
Japanese Opinion Considered
Japan will be particularly pleased at
this idea of the Senate approving the
agreements reached on the western
Pacific islands and on China. 1t is
pointed out that the political situation
at home Of the Japanese delegation is
fCsAtfnued an pase sheesA