The Idaho recorder., 1921-11-11
LEAGUE NATIONS TO !
BE BANQUO'S GHOST
ALARM OF SENATE TRRECON-
CILABLES" REVIVED BY AD-
VICES FROM ABROAD.


CiLABLES' REVIVED BY AD-
VICES FROM ABROAD.
Washington, Nov. 3.-Senate dr.
Ieconclliables' are convinced that the
league of nations will prove the Ban
quo's ghost at the armament limita-
tions conference.
Their fears and alarms have been
increased by confidential advices thew
nave received from overseas that the
British, French and Italian delegates
to the conference will come fully pre-
pared to discuss changes in the league
covenant which would make it fit with
PRESIDENT Harding's idea of an "asso-
citation of nations"
Senator Borah, (Rep.), of Idaho.
chief spokesman of the senate ele,
mient whose watchword is "No en-
tangllng foreign alliances" is of the
opinion that, economically and finan-
cially, the United States is being slow
y and secretely eased into the league
IL is known at the capitol that II was
chiefly under British and French pres-
sure that the recent Geneva conyen-
tion OF the league carefully sidestep-
pea The moot question of world dis
armament. 1t was decided to await
deveiopments at the Washington con-
ference.
Ihis, in Borah's judgment, was in
ilne with the avowed policy of the
british and French governments to
nave the league wait on the Wash
ngton conference before attempting
TO dispose of the major world nroh.
lens confronting the former.
1t is no new thing for the British
and French to be anxious tn mako
concessions to the American govern
ment if the United States were will
ing 10 be drawn into league modi-
ned IN accordance with American
ideas.
-, Will President Listen.
Inc nub of the situation is. of
course, how far the president would
listen to the pro-league suggestions of
secretary of State Hughes and Secre-
tary of Commerce Hoover, or how far
the president would be able to per-
suade the senate to agree to a modi-
fied league covenant.
Another determining factor of the
situation is. the historic fact that for
mer President Wilson promised much
at the Versailles conference, but was
able to perform nothing when he re-
turned home and found the senate
standing in the way of the entry of
the United States in the league.
| But Mr.. Wilson's party was in the
minority in the senate. President
Harding's party is not, although it
/ does not command the two-thirds vote
essential to the ratification of treaty
or an international agreement. Pres
ident Harding's influence with most
republican senators is an open oues-
tion where foreign relations are in
volVed. He was, however, able to win
nearly all of thenl-and even some of
those "irreconcilably" opposed to the
league, like Johnson, of California,
and Brandagee of Connecticut-ove
i to ratification Of the German, Austri-
an and Hungarian theaties. They
split on the Borah proposal for free
tolls for American coastwise vessels
using the Panama Canal, although
warned by Senator Lodge that there
were compelling reasons" why the
administration did not favor it on the
eve of the armament limitation con-
ference.
Underwood Favored.
Senator Underwood of Alabama,
the senate minority leader, supported
the German, Austrian and Hungarian
treaties, but he was unable to line up
many democratic senators for them.
How far his sympathies would lend
themselves TO whatever suggestions
/ for an Association of nations" the
: la = - 81
pate may evolve is problemitical. The
recent treaty fight in the senate indi-
Gated that Underwood's influence with
number of his democratic colleagues
is negative when pitted against the
element in the democratic party rep
resented by Mr.. Wilson.
But ratification of the treaties dem
onstrated beyond peradventure that
enough democratic senators are no
longer susceptible to the Wilson in
fuence to permit an almost solid re-
publican majority to csrry out the adj
ministration's foreign policies. Sena-
tor Underwood and the democratic
senators who usually share his view
of foreign questions in reality hold
the balance of power on the democrat
ic side despite the swing of the Will
son element in the direction of the
Versailles treaty, and the anti-Wilson
element, as typifed by Senator Reed
of Missouri and Watson of Georgia,
away from it.
Without democratic support it is
patent that the ratification of any in
ternational pact the president and the
senate department may negotiate is
/ impossible, but the "irreconcilables, .
ike Borah Of Idaho and LaFollette of
| Wisconsin, are now so few on the re-