The Washington herald., 1921-03-10
Coalition of Parties Com.
pels Adjournment to
: Defer Action.
HARDING MESSAGE
CONFIDENTIAL ONE
Johnson Insists on De-
Tending Roosevelt's
Name in Session.
By ARTHUR SEARS HENNISG.

nv Arthur SEARS HENNING.
The first ruction Of the Harding
administration developed yesterday
when the President sent a. message
TO the senate urging immediate rat
facation of the treaty providing
that the United States pay Colombia
s25.ooo,ooo as. balm for the loss or
Panama
Republicans who feel that the
Colombian treaty represents an at
tempt to besmirch the reputation
Of Theodore Roosevelt with the i'm
putation that he melted the cession
Of Panama were up in arms at once.
The demonstration of hostility was
such that administration leaders
virtually abandoned hope Of ratin-
cation of the treaty at the present
special session of the Senate.
An effort is now being made to
obtain an agreement to take up the
treaty on a fixed date in the forth
coming extraordinary session OF the
sixty-seventh Congress. and in that
event the special session Of the SEN
ate will adjourn next Saturday.
Merits Not Discussed.
The Presidents message was re-
cetyed and read in secret session.
ana was not made public. 1t Is uh-
derstood to have been very general
In nature and did not enter into a
discussion of the merits OF the
treaty. Mr.. Harding merely ex-
pressed the desire for quick action.
on the ground that ratification was
necessary to restore cordial rela-
tons between the United States and
Colombia
The moment the reading OF the
message was concluded Senator
Hiram. johnson was on his feet de-
manding consideration of the treaty
in open session. In this he was sup
ported by Senators Borah. Lenroot
and Kellogg.
They declared that in view of the
precedent set by the Senate during
the consideration Of the treaty Of
Versailles, IL would be most unfor-
tunate to revert to the old practice
Of considering such a matter as the
Colombian treaty behind closed
doors They pointed out further
that the treaty had already been
discussed in the open and that no
good would come from throwing a
ven Of mystery over the final pro-
eeedings-
would Answer Critics.
Senator Johnson called attention
to the fact that charges have been
made time and again by Demo-
cratic Senators against Theodore
Roosevelt in connection with the
part played by Mr.. Roosevelt in the
Panama revolution and he wanted
an opportunity to answer these as
sertions in public
Senator Lodge. Republican leader.
told the Senate that he had an i'm
portant statement regarding the
treaty to make to Senators In con-
hdence- Opponents of the treaty
suggested that he make the state
rnent in confidence and that the
doors Of the Senate then be thrown
open to the public Before a de-
eision could be reached on this
point. however. new complications
were added to the situation by SEN
ator Underwood. Of Alabama, Demo-
cratic leader. who said he was
opposed to taking the treaty rp
at the present session Mr.. Under
wood declared that Democratic Sen
ators were in need of a rest and
that the only chance for a vacation
they would have would be removed
n the Senate was held in a long
drawnout session to ratify the CO.
lombian treaty.
A quickly arranged alliance of
the insurging Republicans and the
Democrats followed Mr.. Under
woods statement The Democrats
rallied to a man behind Senator Un-
-derwood's demands for a postpone
ment Of action. On the Republican
side. a poll disclosed at least twen-
ty-one Senator's strongly opposed
70 the Colombian treaty.
Coalition Gains Control,
Although many of the Democrats
favor ratification Of the treaty. they
were willing % unite with the Re-
publican insurgents to the extent Of
forcing a postponement. The coa-
AANAou HA1oACAcu COucioeEdDiy over
majority Of the Senate and an ad-
tournament followed.
Senator Lodge gave opposition
Republicans to understand later in
the day that he would have no OBJ
lection to postponing action until
next session IL a date were fixed for
taking Up the pact later on. The
Insurgents were inclined to enter
such an agreement
Il was reported that administra-
ton leaders are prepared to dis
close new and important reasons for
ratifying the treaty. 1t Is also
stated that Secretary Of the Interior
Fall. who has been largely instru-
mental in persuading Mr.. Harding
TO revive the Colombina treaty, will
be able to furnish information to
the effect that Theodore Roosevelt
was not opposed to ratification Of
the pact. although when It was first
proposed he denounced II as inter-
national blackmafl"