Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1922-02-24
RESERVATION TO
PACIFIC TREATY
NOW PROPOSED
Chairman Lodge Moves to
Offset Proposal of
Senator Brandegee
SUGGESTION SECRET
Chief Question at Issue Is Whether
Treaty Proposes an Alliance with
Powers

Washington, Feb. 24.-The four
power treaty troubles Of the Admin
istration reached a stage yesterday
that brought Senator Lodge back to
his old role as a treaty "reserva-
zionist" and at a meeting of the
Foreign Relations Committee Chair
man Lodge suggested a reservation
to the Pacific pact, which he. helped
to frame at the Arms Conference.
This was offered, it was under
stood, not because the President.
with whom Mr.. Lodge had just talk
ed. wants any reservations to the
treaty, and not because Senator
Lodge desires it but because it is
hoped thereby to soften the pending
reservation offered by Senator
Brandeeee, of Connecticut.
The Brandegee reservation. renre'
esnting again the irreconilable onpo,
sition of the so-caled alliances of
the old League Of Nations fight,
would declare that the United States
assumes no commitments in the Pa
cific Treaty. that she makes no prom
ises to enter into future agreements,
and that in every case the consent
of Congress must be obtained before
this country acts in any matter
coming within the jurisdiction Of the
four-power pact.
Various Republican members called
upon President Harding to discuss
with him suggested reservations.
Senator New, of Indiana. reported
that President Harding still is Of the
belief that reservations are unneces-
sary. but the Indiana Senator does
not believe the President would go
to the point of rejecting reserva>
ton which simply clarified the mean
inc of the treaty.
1t was the belief of Senator New,
however, that the reservation pre-
sented to the committee by Senator
Brandegee contemplates change IN
some of the provisions of the treaty,
and for that reason it would not be
acceptable to the Chief Executive.
Senator Lodge after his conference
with the President submitted for
consideration a modification of the
Brandegee reservation, which. he
said, was intended 20 accomplish the
same object. Senator Lodge specifi-
cally requested that the text of the
reservation be not given out. 1t is
understood to have read substantially
as follows:
The United States understands
that neither the preamble nor the
terms of the treaty contemnlate an
alliance. nor is it committed to the
defense of these islands in the Pa
cific without the processes provided
by the Constitution.
Word was carried from the com.
mites executive session yesterday
that Senator Brandegee had said
that he would be satisfied with a
reservation containing the words
used by President Harding in his
message to the Senate when he sub
mitted the treaties OF, the Armament
Conference Under such condition
the reservation would read:
The United States understands
"there is no commitment to armed
force. no alliance. no written or
moral obligation to ioin in defense.
no expressed or implied commitment
to arrive at any. agreement eXcept in
accordance with our constitutional
methods"
That language of the President in
submitting the four-power pact is
now beino used bv the "irreconsila-
bles" to buttress their position for
reservations. The Brandeeee pro-
posal to use the Presidents own