The Washington herald., 1921-06-04
Differences of Senate and
House Become More
Acute.
CHANGES URGED IN
BORAH AMENDMENT
Mondell Wants Armies
Included in Proposed
Conference.

HTesfoenI harding desires to keep
o. hands on the house and senate as
the two branches of congress at
tempt to adjust their differences
over the form of the peace and dis
armament proposals, respectively
II now appears likely that the
executive will be called upon To in
dicate his preference as between
the Borah and the contemplated
house proposal on disarmament and
possibly as between the Knox and
Porter peace resolutions
The President feels that il he
stays out of the controversy now
ne VIII be in better position to
pass Judgment on the merits of the
respective house and senate conten-
tons if need arises for his counsel
later.
Report. Porter Resolution.
Differences between the two
chambers are coming to a head The
house foreign affairs committee
yesterday reported out a declara-
tory peace resolution as drawn by
Chairman Porter. The Knox reso-
luton passed by the senate was
ignored
At the same time Representative
Mondell. Republican leader. said
from the floor that he believed the
Borah disarmament amendment
should be altered He would have
il include all nations, instead of
the United States, Great Britain and
japan only, and would have the
proposed international conference
discuss the reduction of armies as
well as navies-
Democrats already have indicated
their intention to support Mondell's
views Representative Garrett, Dem
ocratic leader. attempted yesterday
to have passed a motion instructing
house spokesmen in the conference
between the two chambers on the
naval bill to insist on broadening
the Borah amendment in the man
ner advocated by 'Mondell- CARROTS
motion failed. however. because Of
a disagreement among the leaders
on parliamentary procedure.
Borah Holds Conference.
Learning. however, of the insis-
tence of house leaders on modify
ng the Borah amendment, the idaho
senator held a conference yesterday
with Senators Poindexter and Swan
son, two of the upper chamber con-
ferees, who are understood TO have
assured Borah of their intention to
hold out against any alteration of
his measure. other senators de-
CIared that if the spokesman for the
senate are forced to reced in the
conference. the fight will be carried
to the floor of the senate. Pro-
ponents of the Borah amendment
contend il would be futile to at
tempt reduction of land forces IN
der conditions now prevailing in
Europe.
President Harding, of course.
would prefer to have no disarma-
ment proposal whatever. He origi-
naIIy indicated this attitude to hons
leaders when the question first
arose in connection with the naval
bill in the lower branch. The house
complied with Harding's wishes
and omitted any reference to dis
armament when the naval bill was
passed.
Yielded TO Borah's Demand
When the bill came up in the
senate. however, there was diff
ferent situation to face, due to Bo-
vote on the question. While the
administration felt assured that in
event of a test vote Hardings
wishes would prevail. nevertheless
Il did not wish to be placed in the
position of seeming to oppose che
principle of disarmament. II was
for this reason that the administra-
tion tactics were changed at the
last minute in the upper chamber
and the Borah amendment was per-
mitted to go through as drawn.
Then. however. house leaders.
who had wished to record their at
titude as favoring disarmament.
wanted to go through with their
original ideas Of a broad armament
reduction movement. The President,
approached on the subject, still pre-
ferred no disarmament proposal
whatever at this time, but could
not oppose the wishes of the house
70 record itself on the question as
the senate had been allowed to do
May Need Harding's Aid.
Now the conferees of the two
houses will meet at loggerheads
over the phraseology and scope of
the disarmament amendment and IL
is believed entirely possible that
BEFORE a decision can be reached
Harding will have to come into the
breach with guidance.
The peace resolution differences
between the two branches present
an entirely different situation.
While the house committet radical
ly changed the resolution drafted
by Senator Knox and passed by the
senate. il is not believed that the
differences present an absolute bar
rier against a satisfactory compro-