The Birmingham age-herald., 1922-03-12
TEXT OF UNDERWOOD'S
 SPEECH ON TREATIES
tcontinued From Page one)

had engaged in the wild race of building battleships.
 As originally written, the -Four Power pact included the home islands of Japan, but the powers that signed the treaty subsequently, yielded to the request of Japan and amended the original agreement so that the home islands of Japan were left out of the compact. Thus amended, the Four Power pact provides for peace l in the Pacific, guaranteed by mutual pledge of all the signatory powers to respect the integrity of the territory of each, and, in case of difference pe- tween the sfgnatory nations, to con fer. In case of difficulty between a signatory power and non-s sig natory nation, the four pogers are to ex- change notes as among the four, ex- plaining the situation and looking to a common policy.
 Call For a Conference
 'tThe terms of the treaty clearly call for a conference to consider diff ficulties that may arise, just as the conference on the limitation of ar maments was called in Washington some months ago. II is conference in which all of the four powers must agree and none of the powers will be bound in advance in any way. In other words. the agreements that are reached must be by the unanimous consent of all.
 "The governing clause of this treaty reads as follows:
 %'The high contracting parties agree, as between themselves, to re- spect their rights in relation 10 their ] insular possessions and insular do- 1 minions in the region of the Pacific ocean
 The other clauses of the treaty are ancillary to the one that have jus. read.
 Arguments of Opponents
 ''The opponents of the ratification of this treaty in the main appear to base their objections on two grounds, expressing positions that are oppos- ed one to the other. It is asserted that the treaty in effect Is an alliance between the four great powers for offensive and defensive purposes, or, at least, it is contended we will be drawn into that position in the end and that we may be- forced into war without our consent. I maintain that there is nothing in the treaty it. self that justifies such an intrepreta- ton being placed upon it; that an agreement by q man or a nation to respect the rights of his neighbors is an obligation that relates to his own conduct and does not bind him to aggressive action because the other party to the contract, whose rights he has agreed to respect, becomes in- volved in difficulties.
 l Reservation offered
 But the question is not left here The foreign relations committee oi the Senate have moved reservation to the treaty, which beyond doubt will be acceptedsb by the Senate. which reads as follows:
 The United States understands that under the statement in the pre- amble, or under the terms of this treaty. there is no commitment to armed force. no alliance, no obliga- tion 10 join in any defense
 When the treaty is ratified with this understanding on the part of our government what ground is left to those who contend the tfeaty is an offensive and defensive alliance to stand upon? None that I can see. "On the other hand, it is asserted that, as the treaty does not bind the high contracting parties to use force in carrying out its terms, and be- cause they cannot in the future be bound to any action until their free 1 consent is first obtained, tHat 1t means nothing; that it is worse than useless to sign it, and therefore it should be defeated To my mind, this argument is the last stand of the men of the old school, the school of 1 thought that has been dominant in the government of this world for the last 1000 years; the philosophy that believes that t1e world can and must be governed only by force, and that agreements, to be binding, must have the power of force behind them. If this were true, it would destroy all the faith of the Christian nations of the wor'1 in their efforts to obtain peace by mutual understanding. For my part believe the world is nov ing forward. not drifting backward and that the moral forces of the world can join together in bonds of mutual understanding, where respect for each other, love of justice, and 1 the determination to do what IS right, will be the governing forces that will bind men and nations in the future If this be true, then fl means a great deal for four great notions to meet together and agree to Prospect each others rights and IT power treaty" Taken in connec- ton with the princes more recent statement, Senator Robinson said the opinion previously expressed showed great facility to change positions. l There is only one man" continued