Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1921-12-13

THREATEN BATTLE
ON BIC FOUR PACT
R eed Calls Agreement
'Treacherous and Trea-
sonabIe" - Borah, Silent,
Locks Self in Office

of opposition in the United States
senate to ratification of the four
power Pacific treaty developed Sat
urday within a few hours after the
new pact was announced to the
world at a plenary session of the
armament conference.
Senator Reed, Democrat, Missouri,
one of the irreconcilables in the long
and successful fight against the
treaty of Versailles, in a formal
statement, denounced the new quad
ripple understanding as "treacher-
Gus, reasonable and damnable" and
predicted that there would be a
fight and a hot one"
,FOther senators of the irreconcil-
fable group, for the most part, with
held comment, but speaking private
ly, indicated an unfriendly attitude
toward the treaty, while Senator
Reed said he did not expect to make
the fight alone. Senator Borah, of
Idaho, leading Republican irrecon-
cilable, was one of those declining
to comment, locking himself in his
office with a copy of the document.
Ratification Predicted
Republicans generally, including
most of the leaders, however, pre-
dicted ratification of the treaty by
an overwhelming vote and in this
prediction to a greater or less ex-
tent were joined by a number of
Democrats, including leaders, on that
side Of the senate chamber. Many
senators on both sides refused to
commit themselves, declaring they
wished to study the pact, while a
considerable proportion of the SEN
ate membership was absent from the
capital, owing to the weekend re-
cess.
Democratic senators in a number
of instances said they did not attach
the Importance to the document as a
peace measure that was claimed in
Republican quarters, and described
it as "innocuous," and as having a
great similarity to the League of
Nations covenant.
Some Democrats pointed to Article
II of the new treaty which binds
signatories if their rights in the Pa
cific islands 'are threatened by the
aggressive action of any other pow
ers' to communicate with one an
other fully and frankly in order to
arrive at an understanding as to
the most efficient measures to be
taken, jointly CT separately, tc meet
the exigencies of the particular sit
uation." This, the said, differed
but little from Article II of the
league covenant which the Repub-
leans found most objectionable.
Senator Harrison Comments
Senator Harrison, of Mississippi,
one of the Democratic spokesman in
the senate, in his comment, said in
this connection:
THE best parts of the treaty are
those provisions taken from the
League of Nations covenant. II
more had been taken it would have
been better"
One of the principal effects of
the treaty, both Republicans and
Democrats agree, would be it's termi-
nation of the Anglo-Japanese ALI
ance.
Senator Reed contended the treaty
was an alliance and gave the United
States only one of four votes, and
pledged the United States to make
war, if necessary, in support of Brit
ish, Japanese, or French interests
in the Pacific.
"The real purpose Of the treaty
is cunningly masked by fine
phrases" Senator Reed declared. III
is a verbal photograph of Ellhu
Root, but Notwithstanding its sugar
coating it is nothing more nor less
than a quadruple alliance between
Great Britain, France, Japan ana
the United States, by which they
mutually bind each other to exert
their joint power for the control OF
the Pacific and for the maintenance
of the rights of each in their lnsu-
lar possessions and insular domln'
ions in the region of the PACING
ocean, =,
eff we sign this treaty we bind
ourselves to go to. the assistance OF
JaDan. Great Britain and France in
the event that their insular domln-
ions in the region of the Pacific are
threatened. I have quoted from the
preamble but the purpose is maze
plain by article two. That article
plainly means that these powers Will
assemble and will agree on the
methods to be employed, which, OF
course, means that they will Jointly
go to war if necessary, or by their
combined power of threats intiml-
date other nations.
"It is not only an changing al
lance, but it is an alliance which en-
tangles us in the Orient, compels the
States
or English or French claims if the
majority of the four powers s4all
so determine. 1T is a nentangling al
lance against our friends, the Chi
rese, and against our friends, the
Russians. 1t has all the iniquities
of article ten of the League of Ma
lions and none of it's virtues if in
deed that article possessed any Vlr-
tues.
$50 far as I am CONCERNED L never
will give my consent to submit any
question vital to the United States
to the arbitrament of a tribunal in
which we have one vote out OF four,
particularly when all of the foreign
powers are very likely to have inter-
/ ests in common and those interests
inimical to the United States.
Moreover, 1 never will give my
consent that the vote of Japan will
ever at any time determine an
American policy. Above everything
I never can give my consent to d
treaty by which three foreign pow
ers outvoting the United States. can
call upon us to sacrifice the blood
of our sons and our treasures in
controversies thousands of miles
from our shores.
1.-THE proposed treaty is, in my
judgment, REASONABLE and damnable.
1t will be repudiated by the Amer
lean people when it is understood.
This conference was called for the
alleged purpose of agreeing upon
limitation of armament and, there
fore, met with the goodwill of all
lovers of peace and of America, but
it has Matched an adder's egg. If
it is sanctioned by President Har-
ding, then he has repudiated all his
public declarations made during the
campaign. The American people in
due course will know how to deal