The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1921-04-21
HARDING wins
IN FIRST TEST.
Hapgood Finds Ratification Of
Colombia Treaty Victory II
For His Policies.
BY NORMAN HApGooD.

The vote on the Colombian
treaty yesterday had an interest for
the Senate and for politicians gen.
orally quite separate from the in
terests that stood out more openly.
INVOLVES INTERBsrJNG HISTORY.
To the public sfhs thing involved
were our NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. with our
neighbors. the expense of $25.0O0,0o0,
the Importance ofdotl In the modern
world. TIL HI
To the Senate itself II WAS the first
test of the power of the steam roller
in the new Administration. IT was
the first opportunity to measure the
strength of insurgency that may Ie
applied within the Republican party
to various questions on the horizon.
Notice was clearly served that this
was "a case of must" Any Repub-
lican who voted against the treaty
must do so at theS cost Of being
stamped as unorthodox: as not good
Indian. tHs Il
NORRIS VOICES ISSUE.
Senator Norris expressed the issue
when he said:
II do not care how any man votes
on the treaty as an original question.
What i do object to Is the political
system by which a man Is expected
to vote against a treaty because u
is introduced by Wilson and for the
same treaty because IL is introduced
by Harding"
Most OF the Democrats naturally
voted for the treaty since IT was
originally a Wilson measure.
As the vote on the original treaty
was In secret session 1t is not pos
sible to compare the total vote today
with that when 1t was a Wilson
measure. A good line Is given, how
ever, by the minority report of the
Foreign Relations Committee.
As that committee was then Demo-
cratic II reported the treaty favor
ably. Senator Knox also voted
favorably. SO his vote today was en-
tirely consistent.
Senator Lodge. then minority
leader, voted against It. When the
duty of leading the fight FOR 1t as a
Republican measure fell on him he
tried to have this vote also taken
in secret session, but failed.
BORAH AGAINST 1T.
Borah voted against 1t then, and
kept his record consistent by voting
against IL when his own party intro
duced II
McCumber. Brandegee and Fall
voted against IT then and were in
favor OF it this time.
Secretary Fall. oy the way. then
Senator, Is q storm center In the pres
ent situation. 1t Ia freely rumored that
Secretary Hughes has shown serious
offense at Secretary Falls rushing
into his territory in the letter written
to Senator Lodge, and made public by
him, containing an attack on a for
eign government.
Mr. Hughes has two grounds OF
complaint. One is the question OF in
trusion into his province. The other
is on the question Of fact.
HUGHES POSITION.
Great Britain has explicitly denied
that she owns one sharefof stock in
the Mexican and Dutch oil companies
specified by Secretary Fall.
Secretary Hughes was easily the
leader of the New York bar when he
entered the Cabinet, and he was
known for the thoroughness with
which he got up his cases. 1t would
give him no pleasure to be pu. in the
position Of having to conduct delicate
foreign complications on a shaky
basis of fact
To illustrate this quality, IL Is re-
lated in certain circles that before
he would touch the zap question,
which he has since been handling so
skilfully, he insisted on having some
evidence that Preside emit
Wilson had never waived that point.
He got 1T, and when the French
charge was made that the former
President had waived It. our come
back was conclusive.
The Republicans who voted against
the Administration today will beac
watching on the tax bills, the tariff
and the foreign treaties to be ne
gotiated.
MeCORMICK's ATTITUDE.
Senator Mccormick, who was not
among the Colombia boilers, has al
ready given notice that be will wage
hard fight against the sales tax.
Today, to put 1t briefly, the Re-
publican leaders fighting their first
controverted point on a policy Of the
preceding Administration, passed
from the primrose path of cordial
welcome to the long. hard path Of
their own responsibility.
On that path they found an op-
position more serious than two
weeks ago seemed possible.