Evening star., 1921-12-23
DEMOCRATS seen
OPPOSED T0PAC1.
Formal Stand Awaits Ex-
preston From Underwood,
However.
BY DAVID LAWRENCE.

BY DAVID LAWRENCE.
The majority Of the democrats In
the United States Senate are opposed
at present to the ratification of the
four-power pact between the United
States. Great Britain. japan and
the Pacific.
Until Senator Oscar Underwood.
democratic leader and member OF the
American delegation. which signed
the treaty, has an opportunity to ex-
press his views there will be no
formal opposition to the pact.
If the treaty were submitted to a
vote today it would pass by COM
Portable margin. notwithstanding the
democratic opposition. as for the mo-
ment the lineup Is hardly different
from that which developed when the
last treaty with Germany was ratified.
The foregoing analysis Of the sit
uation comes from democratic leaders
who have the highest respect and af-
fection for Senator Underwood. but
who insist that 1t was mistake for
Kim to sign treaty phrased as am
biguously as they believe Is the four
power pact. Opposition to the treaty
was not very pronounced at the out
set. But the unmistakable fact is
that the developments of the last two
days have been harmful to the treaty'S
prospects.
Growing Opposition Seen.
The discovery that the treaty in
cluded the mainland Of Japan and that
the United States actually agreed in
secret session to an Interpretation
which covered the islands OF Japan
proper within the scope Of the pact
has unQuestionably had an effect.
President Harding's own misconcep-
ton of what the treaty covered has
been responsible for the turn in demo-
cratic sentiment and for a growing
opposition among republicans. Even
the most ardent supporters of the
President will concede that the situa-
ton has hardly been improved by the
discussion over the ambiguity Of the
phrases in the treaty covering the
mainland of Japan.
Already there Is talk of reservations
to clarity" but Senator Lodge is re-
ported in Senate cloakrooms as hay,
ing said that any reservations would
ruin the treaty" The democrats
who are unalterably opposed to the
pact, even with reservations. are
bound to make the most Of Senator
Lodges attitude If this should prove
to be his ultimate conclusion, for it
was Mr.. Lodge who insisted upon
long series of reservations to the Ver-
sailles treaty and contended that Pres
ident Wilson had fair warning OF the
Senate's attitute in the round robin
which was circulated just after the
covenant was published.
To this the democratic leaders re-
ply that no opportunity was given
for study of the text Of the treaty be-
fore it was signed and that the meas
ure was negotiated in secret session.
The democrats plan as one step in
their campaign against the treaty to
call for the proceedings of the secret
sessions in order to learn what other
things the American delegation may
have agreed to besides the French and
British Interpretation that the MAIN
land of Japan was covered in the pact.
May Answer Through Underwood.
To this sort of tactics it is not only
probable but most likely that Presi-
dent Harding will answer through
Oscar Underwood, democratic leader,
who as member of the American
everything that transpired. Those
democrats who anticipate that Mr..
Underwood will be committed to vote
for the ratification of the treaty in
sist that he Is the last man in the
world to ask anybody In the Senate
to vote against his convictions, as he
himself has maintained the same right
in the past and has ENCOURAGED inde-
pendence of action
The feeling has been growing among
democrats that Mr.. Underwood made q
mistake in accepting membership on
the American delegation, in whose de-
cisions he represented only minority
voice and over whose actions he had
SO little to say, since he has not been
a member of either the committee
which negotiated the naval agree
ment or the four-power pact. and was
tn ha 80
what his three republican colleagues
did without being able to adopt a dis
senting course.
Has Faithful Friends.
Mr.. Underwood. however. is sur
rounded by faithful group Of friends
in the Senate who will support him on
the four-power pact as they did on
the German treaty. The danger to
ratification lies rather in the possibil-
ity of a democratic coalition. Sena-
tor McNary of Oregon, republican,
wants reservations. Senator Kenyon
of Iowa, republican, is reported as un-
decided.
Senator Hitchcock of Nebraska,
democrat, who voted for the German
treaty and indicated some time ago
that he might favor the four-power
pact, is inclined to be minded
about the new treaty and await the
outcome of the whole conference be-
fore reaching a decision. Senator
Johnson of California, republican, Is
in his native state now keeping his
ear to the ground there. Some demo-
cratic senators think Mr.. johnson will
support the treaty in order to assure
himself of administration support in
his campaign for reelection next
year, as there have been rumors of
Herbert Hoover entering the race
against Mr.. Johnson. Those who know
the California senator best ridicule
such an assertion and insist that he
will make up his mind on the four
power pact irrespective of political
consequences.
fcnnvriobt 1901 I