, 1922-03-25
Legality of Senate
Ratification Is
Challenged
WASHINGTON, March 2E

AaAA SAA -Cs
Validity of the senate's rati-
fcation yesterday of the four
power Pacific treaty was chal-
lenged in the senate today by
Senator Hitchcock, Nebraska,
ranking Democratic member of the
senate foreign relations committee,
but was defended as vigorously by
Senator Lodge OF Massachusetts,, Re.
publican leader. and Senator Lenroot,
Republican. Wisconsin.
By failing to act yesterday on the
declaration relating to domestic ques.
Hons Of the delegates who signed the
rour-power pact. Senator Hitchcock
said the senate had not complied with
legal technicalities for ratification Of
the. entire treaty. He contended AMI
Mr.. Lodge denied that the declaration
was a part OF the rour-power meas.
ures. Senator Lodge, however. said
re would offer n resolution later to
have the senate ratify the declaration,
When Senator Hitchcock questioned
legality CT Mr.. lodges plan to have
tho declaration ratified, Senator Lodge
replied that therc were ~precedcnts
Senator Hitchcock said that Legal
presidents were that a supplement
sry document was n part of the orig
tnal contract and he thought It was
o late to consider tho declaration.
Senator Hitchcock emphasized his
point that the declaration was ~at
tached" to n part of the four-power
treaty. This was denied sharply by
Senator Lodge The Nebraska sena.
tor asserted that Senator Lodge has
lost his opportunity" yesterday tc
have the declaration ratified.
Then senator can present that &c
the supreme court" Senator Lodge
retorted, adding that ratification OF
The declaration was not important
and did not "matter a straw one way
DIT the other" He said he was will.
ing to have the declaration ratified II
other senators desired.
Senator Lenroot said the courts
would regard the last notition of the
senate as binding n this was the
resolution of ratification. Senator
Hitchcock, however. asserted that II
the question should be raised ANY
court would be bound to say. that the
senate had not legally ratified the
treaty"
In tho cartier debate today, Sem,
tor Pittman, Democrat, Nevada, as
serted that either the declaration mus
be a part OF the treaty and must re
uuire senate ratification or else II
could have no binding effect He in
listed that it was submitted to the
senate as an integral part of h mali
instrument and that the mate hao
declined in effect to ratify it.
Meantime, the business actually be
lore the senate was h supplemental
treaty defining tho geographical o
pf the four-power pact, as soon as
his treaty was called up Senator Rob
nspn, Democrat, Arkansas. began the
attack on it by presenting an amend
ncnt which would exclude from the
treaty provisions the southern hall
" Sakhalin island. occupied by ia
pan, and in the consideration OF tina
proposition, too, the debate driftct
pack to the old familiar issues fought
,ut again and again on the senate
loor during the last few weeks.
In his argument that It was i'm
,ortant to determine the validity Of
he accompanying declaration" in re
gard to domestic questions. Senator
Pittman cited the speech recently
made in California made by the Brit
sh ambassador. Sir Auckland Geddes
md quoted as containing an assertion
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