The Birmingham age-herald., 1921-08-18
SENATE DEBATES
 OPEN OR CLOSED
 ARMAMENT MEET
Lodge Will Hold to Principle That Only Solution of the Problem Is General
 Disarmament
Associated Press

Washington, August 1.-The ques- ton of open or secret sessions at the disarmament conference started a Senate debate today in which demo- crats criticised some of the steps taken by the administration and Chairman Lodge of the foreign rela- tions committee, who has been se- lected as one of the American dele gates, gave his colleagues some glimpses of the attitude he Intends to adopt in the conference.
 The outburst was short lived and failed to develop any general ex- pression of Senate opinion on the subject of public or closed sessions. Further debate on the question was assured, however, by presentation for future consideration of "a measure which would instruct the American delegates to insist that the confer ence sit with open doors.
 Senator Lodge did not express lis views with regard to publicity, but he did assert that in the negotiations over disarmament itself he would hold to the principle that the only oCieeAOh Weo StHSt dl QiodT.Dd ment.' He declared no one would work more earnestly for disarma- n1ent than he, but that he would Told to an unshakable conviction that to insure success there must be "gener- al reductions all along the line.'
 Charges False Economy
 Later in the day the foreign rela- tions chairman, speaking on a good roads bill, asserted it was false economy to save money for roads by taking 1t away from the army and the navy, whose reductions, he as- serted, had been Carried too far al- ready under existing conditions Without specific mention of the dis armament proposals, he reaffismed his belief that this country could snot now make further curtailments :n it's military and naval establishments without menacing national security.
 While the Senate debate was in progress. President Harding listened to the plea of group of women DO litical leaders that he appoint a woman on the American delegation to the conference, and told them he was confident way would be found to utilize womans influence and in. tuition to aid in the success of the negotiations. The Presidents words were variously interpreted by mem bers of the group, but as 1t was "a refrained from specific statement whether a woman would sit in the ' conference.
 Acting for Women
 Those who took the petition to the White House were acting for the National League of Woman Voters whose president, Mrs. Maud Wood Park, headed the group and present. Fl l..f. cd at recent convention of the league. Before their interview with Mr. Harding the women distributed series of statements assailing Rep- resentative Alice Robertson of Okla hcma for her declaration that it would be difficult to find a woman qualified to act as q delegate. In all of the statements it was asserted that Miss Robertson could in no sense be regarded as . competent 'spokes- man of American womanhood.
 No names were suggested to the President by his callers, and when they were asked afterward what woman they considered qualified they replied by insisting there were so many that they preferred to mention none specifically. The Senate dis cussion~of disarmament subjects was started by Senator Harrison, demo- crat, Mississippi, when he introduced a. proposal to bind the American dele gates to demand open sessions at the conference. He presented it as an amendment to that section of the shipping board appropriation bill which would make s200,000 available to pay expenses of the conference and although it did not come up for immediate consideration, he took the opportunity to comment on Senator { Lodges selection as a delegate.
 The Massachusetts senator, de- clared NIT. Harrison, lad done more than amy other person to postpone disarmament by sponsoring ''the res ervations which killed the League oi Nations" He added that he had hoped to see Senator Borah, repub- lican. Idaho, chosen as delegate because of his efforts to crystalize disarmament sentiment, but asserted that 1t seemed apparent there are forces at work in Washington and through the country for the selection of men who do not share the viewl of Senator Borah.'
 When Senator King, democrat Utah, suggested that some member of the foreign relations committed explain why Germany had not beer invited to the conference, Senator Harrison said he supposed it wal "because the dministration has not settled the question whether we ars at peace or war with Germany.