The Wisconsin tobacco reporter. (Edgerton, Wis.) 1877-1950, 1922-03-24
SENATOR CHARGES
U. 6. BRITISH PLOT
Borah Credits Such Admission to
Morgan Attorney.
WTRlOLlC DEBATE IN SENATE
Idaho Scion Declares Speech of Paul
D. Cravath Disclosed "Secret IN
Outstanding" to Hold Whip
Hand Over Japan in Jacific.

p. Morgan and other international
banking interests, was introduced in
| the senate as evidence Of a secret I'M
| derstanding' between the united
States and Great Britain for control
| of the Pacific in connection with the
four-pOwer treaty.
Senator BOrah of Idaho produced
stenOgraphic transcript of the CraVatn
speech. In the opinion Of the senate
authorities the "Secret agreement
mentioned by the Morgan attorney
constituted not only an act OF treach-
cry to the other powers in the treaty,
| but would be undeniably provocatiOn
| of war.
The Cravath speech was delivered
at a private gathering of the Council
| of Foreign Relations, an association OF
| New York bankers, held in New York
city February II. Although the meet
ing was not open to the public, Sena-
tor Borah obtained the reporters
transcript of what Cravath said in as
surfing his fellow bankers that the
secret understanding had been fOrmu-
lated at the arms conference.
May Defeat Ratification.
Opponents Of the treaty saw it as
an effective weapon by which to de-
feat ratification.
Lodge and Underwood, members OF
the American delegation denied that
such an agreement existed. Borah
came back with the statement that,
although the knew nothing about 1t,
he refused to believe the story untrue.
Later in the day Borah was shown
statement issued by Cravath in his
New York office denying the exist
ence of such an agreement, to which
BOrah replied:
81 have the record I am satisfied
with It,"
The most important development of
the publication of Cravath's remarks
was the Inauguration of a movement
to have the treaty sent back to the
| foreign relations committee and have
Secretary Hughes, Elihu Root and
Cravath summoned as witnesses to
tell what they know about it.
A motion to recommit the treaty
will be made by Senator Shields of
Tennessee. This will put Lodge and
the rest OF the Republican majority On
record as to whether they want all
the facts disclosed or will insist upon
a vote to ratify without any more in
formation than the senate now has.
Lodge visited the White House and
| discussed the treaty situation with
| President Harding, who expressed
desire to have 1t ratified without the
Harding Brandegee reservation now be-
fore the senate Lodge told the Presi-
dent this could not be done; that I'M
less the reservation Is attached the
treaty will be rejected.
BOrah produced the Cravath docu-
ment at the very beginning of the SEN
ate session. At once it plunged the
senate into the most vitriOlic and ex-
citing debate which has been witnessed
since the strife over the treaty started.
Senators Lose Tempers.
Lodge and Underwood lost their
tempers in most righteous fashion in
denying they ever discussed the treaty
with Cravath or with any other repre-
sentative of the International banking
interests. Both admitted to a vague
and hazy notion of who Cravath Is,
but declared they did not talk with
him.
In bringing the Cravath statement
before the senate Senator Borah said
the Interpretation given by Cravath
constituted an alliance, adding:
Without regard to what the four
power treaty does in the matter of
! forming an alliance, there is no Ques-
| ton that the secret understanding
| does form an alliance. Coming as it
does from man who processes to
know, the statement by Mr.. Cravath
becomes Of considerable Importance.
1t simply discloses that once we enter
| into the business of making a political
| alliance there Is no limit to which we
may not go in arriving at secret TN
derstandings that bind us to our fu-
| ture course Of action"
Taking the floor to deny having
| talked with Cravath, Underwood said
II never made such statement to
| Mr.. Cravath, or to any one else. So
| far as / know there is no truth I'm it."
Then Lodge got up and said:
'sMr. Cravath had no authority from
me TO make such a statement, as ]
| have had no conversation at all with
| him, and, so far as know, there is not
a word of truth in it. 1 thought
| knew something about the treaty, but
| [ never heard of any such understand
! ing having been made