Evening star., 1921-12-13
b0RAH OPENS FIGHT
ON 4-P0WER PACT
Declares Moral Obligation
Exists to Use Mill
tary Force.

Indications of an impending fight in
the Senate against the four-power
pact proposed to the conference on
late yesterday. when Senator Borah
Of Idaho fired the opening gun for the
opposition on the floor of the Senate
in the first skirmish.
As at the opening of the long fight
on the treaty of Versailles and it's
league Of nations covenant. practi-
cally all of the new quadruple treaty
was read into the Congressional Rec
ord in advance of formal submission
The attack came from two ''irrec-
oncilables" in the Versailles covenant
controversy-Senato Borah, republi-
can. Idaho. and Reed, democrat, Mis-
souri,.
Attitude Provisional.
Mr.. Borah explained that his atti-
tude toward the treaty would be gov
erned to an extent by progress of
the conference toward real disarma-
ment" and settlement of Chinese aues-
tons. The work of the Washington
conference. he said. would be dis
couraging" If it adjourned without
barring. by terms OF the treaty, the
use Of submarines, poisonous gases
and other 'barbarous" weapons OF
warfare.
Defense Of the pact was conducted
largely by. Senator Poindexter. re-
publican. Washington, who told the
Senate that some seemed unduly
alarmed about the pact and declared
that article ii could not be construed
as the equivalent of article \.
Senator Reed. breaking into the
Poindexter's statement meant that
the new treaty was worth little as
a binding agreement He added that
il the United States was not going
to observe its moral obligations. such
as he contended were contained in
'the laughing stock of the whole
world"
Likeness to Article x.
Mr.. Borah said he regarded the
moral obligations of article II as
compelling the use of force as strong
ly as did article Y of the league.
and in this was supported by Sena-
tor Robinson. democrat, Arkansas.
articles I and II of the treaty were
''even stronger" than article X Mr.
Robinson added. however. that he
was entering no objection to the
pact
Continuing. Mr.. Borah said that
while sponsors of the treaty declared
there were no provisions to use mil
itary force lurking in or about the
treaty" the moral obligation remain
ed. He contended that while Amer
lean delegates to any conference pro-
vided for under treaty could not
legally bind the President or Con-
Eress. the obligations to. carry out
the decision of the conference still
remained.
I'm the language of Napoleon. then
Senator Stanley. democrat. Kentucky,
interrupted, these four powers in
tend to have peace under the treaty
even if they have to fight for it,"
Senator King, democrat. Utah. in
quired of Mr.. Borah whether the four
power agreement did not contain more
possibilities of war than did the
league of nations covenant.
PrOMiaes Later Discussion.
"I'll discuss that and some other
provisions of this treaty later" Mr.
Eorah replied
The work of Secretary Hughes in
presentation of the American naval
reduction program was commend
ed by Mr.. Borah. who said that
by the concise and bold" methods
employed by the State Department
head. he had won the right to be
placed among the great premiers and
Secretaries of State of history" The
program of naval reduction was de-
scribed by Mr.. Borah as worthy OF
praise. but he added that the confer
ence 80 far as the public has been
informed has not dealt with the
weapons with which the next war will
be fought"