Arizona republican., 1922-02-23
LEADERS To ASK
HARDING ADVICE
ON RESERVATION

WASHINGTON, Feb. %. The
progress Of the four-power Pacific
treaty in the senate again was inter
rupted today while administration
leaders conferred among themselves
and prepared to seek the advice of
President Harding whether to accept
the blanket reservation proposed by
those who are opposing unreserved
ratification.
Contrary to the expectation of sem
ators who had sponsored the reserva-
tion, administration acceptance Of 1t
was withheld at today's session of
the foreign relations committee and
Senator Lodge of Massachusetts, the
Republican leader and committee
chairman, arranged TO confer tomor-
row morning with the president.
At the White House Mr.. Lodge is
expected to describe in detail the sit
uation in the committee. a majority
Of whose members are said to have
indicated they would support the res
eTvation regardless OF the stand
taken by the administration. What
the senate leaders own opinion may
be regarding the proposal has not
been definitely revealed, but Repub-
ii still predicted tonight that both
Mr.. Lodge and Mr.. Harding eventual
ly would decide not to interpose seri-
Gus opposition.
Heretofore officials close to the
president have declared he held
strongly to the opinion that no res
ervations were necessary, although at
the same time i. has been said that
he did not desire to become a sticller
of senate acceptance of the treaty !
without the dotting of an 'i'' or the |
crossing of a IT His decision is ex
pected to hingle on whether the pro-
posed reservation which provides |
that every adjustment reached under |
the treaty should be subject to the |
review OF congress, impairs or en-
barrasses the purposes of the four
power arrangement. II is not con- |
sidered unlikely that the whole SEN
ate situation also will be taken into 1
consideration by President Harding 1
and Senator Lodge before they adopt |
course Of action. With administra-
tion acceptance of the blanket reser- |
vation issued it is considered that \
the committee will be in a position +
TO vote promptly and almost unani-
mcusly a favorable report on the |
treaty itself. But with that accept |
ance withheld. it is the apparent pur-
pose Of the reservationists to attempt /
TO put through the committee series /
OF more specific qualifications. lead
ing to considerable debate and long /
delay.
one of these supplemental reserva-
tions. attempting to define in detail
the term rights as used in the
treaty was put into the committee
hopper today by Senator Johnson,
Republican OF California Like the
blanket reservation offered by SEN
ator Brandegee, Republican Of Con-
necticut, it went over without action
pending Mr.. Lodges visit to the
White House.
Within the committee, the fight
against reservations is being led by
Senator kellogg, Republican OF Mn
nesota, who predicted tonight that
neither the president nor Senator
Lodge ever would consent TO the
Brandegee proposal Senators New
Indiana, and McCumber. North Da-
kota, Republicans, and Williams
Democrat of Mississippi were said to
share the views of Senator Kellogg
While Senator Lodge reserved judg-
ment. and all the other il Republican
and Democratic members gave indi-
cations that they were favorably dis
posed toward the blanket reservation.
While the committee continued its
on the four power pact
today, the senate began debate on the
separate treaty between the United
States and Japan relating to zap and
other former German islands Of the
Pacific. Mr.. Lodge explained the
treaty at length, characterizing ii as
securing all the rights the United
States ever desired in the former |
German possessions. Senator France,
Republican of Maryland, attacked il
as Reputation of Republican plat
form pledges and a part of a league
of nations plan" which would lay the
for new world war.
Tomorrow Senator Pittman, Demo-
,rat of Nevada, is to address the sem
ite, taking exception to some of the
.reaty provisions.