New-York tribune., 1921-12-05
Fate of Versailles Cove
nant Is Recalled, Also
That of Agreement to
Insure French Security
No Objection Made
By U. S. Delegates
Pact on Far East, Too, Is
Favored, but Demand
Is Not SO Insistent
By Carter Field


WASHINGTON, Dec. 4.-Great
Britain and Japan will insist that
the naval armament limitation
agreement of the present confer
ence be put in the form of a treaty
and ratified by the Senate. This
was learned to-day by the writer
from an unquestionable authority,
together with the information that
neither the American delegation
nor the Harding Administration had
expressed any opposition to the idea
when tentative suggestions were
made.
All Of the powers represented
here would like very much to have
the Far Eastern agreements also put
in the form Of treaties, although
they are not so insistent on this as
the big naval powers are with re-
gard to the naval holiday and lini-
tation plan.
Versailles Episode Recalled
There are two reasons actuating
the Japanese and British in desiring
that the naval agreement should be
put in the form of a treaty and ap-
proved by the Senate. In the first
place there is still fresh in their
minds the memory Of what happened
with regard to the Versailles Treaty.
After interminable negotiations the
five American commissioners, Will
son, House, Lansing, Bliss and
White, signed the treaty and Presi-
dent Wilson led every one there to
believe that there would be no diff
Guilty about ratification. The op-
position of the Senate grew and
grew, however, and, the President
refusing to permit his own followers
to vote for the treaty with the res
ervations desired by the majority of
the Senate, the treaty was rejected.
<AASO, CiC O4iClSu Slill nave heeuty III
mind the agreement which President
Wilson reached with the French and
themselves at Paris, with the purpose
of the two nations guaranteeing France
jointly against possible future attacks
by Germany. This defensive alliance
treaty, the British know, remains to
this day pigeonholed in the Senate For
eign Relations Committee, never having
even been considered by the Senate,
and the prospects being that it never
will be-
Democratic System Puzzles
So the powers represented here, hav-
ing had this rude shock so recently, are
q little bit skeptical of assurances given
by any American administration. Be-
ing accustomed themselves to govern
ments with foreign policies which con-
tinue unvarying no matter what politi-
cal party may be in the saddle at the
moment, they never have quite under
stood what happened in this country
about the Versailles Treaty, and few Of
them understand it now.
Fer example, the fact that just prior
to Mr.. Wilson sailing for Paris an
election in this country repudiated his
appeal for an Endorsement, and that
more than enough of the opposition
party Senators signed round robin
| protesting against the inclusion of the
league covenant with the peace treaty,
made no impression abroad, and is re-
called by most of the foreign diplomats
now as sort of Tailors of Toolev
Street petition rather than an i'm
portant action by the men who would
have to pass on the treaty when ap-
proved.
So they want to be on the safe side
about this thing. They do not want
another formal agreement with an
American administration only to see a
prolonged fight in the American Senate
work out gradually into repudiation
of the whole understanding. They have
been making diligent inquiries into
such constitutional questions as wheth-
er the President could limit the size OF
the navy without the consent of Con-
gress, and while they are much inn
pressed by such fact as that the Presi-
dent can, if he wishes, order battle
ship scrapped by executive order. never.
theless they are not willing to trust
altogether to executive approval.
Want Senate on Record
They would feel much more comfort
able to see the Senate, which repudi
ated Mr.. Wilson's peace treaty, on rec
ord by the constitutional two-thirds
! majority in favor Of the armament lin
itation agreement reached by the con
ference.
4 The second reason why they desire
treaty is just as interesting but more
novel to Americans, who are thorough,
familiar with what happened about til,
Versailles Treaty It is that they thinl
there should be some definite methot
provided for this country to inform tn,
! world publicly if at any time thers
should be swing of the pendulun
here which would bring into power 81
!, administration which did not favor TIL