The Birmingham age-herald., 1922-03-12
PACT WAS NOT WRITTEN BY
 ENGLISH OR LAPS
Says Greatest Compliment for Treaty Is Fact 0ppo- nents Forced to Resort
 to Side Issues
By HUGH W. ROBERTS Washington Bureau. Tho ARe-Hcrnld,
 ROO Dayidsou HutldinR,


 Washington, March 11.-(Special.) ] Senator Oscar W. Underwood, demo- cratic leader, who was an American delegate to the Washington confer ence, made what was regarded by democrats AS the best defense yet made of the four-power treaty today.
 By reading letter from Secretary Hughes, who declared that he him self had written the first draft of tho treaty. Senator Underwood de- prived the irreconciliable democrats of their argument that 'in all proba- bility it was written by England or Japan"
 The greatest compliment paid the four-power treaty" said Senator Un- derwood. Consists in the fact that able senators are forced in a kind of desperation to have to resort to aide Issues In an effort to arouse susp- clon and bring prejudice to bear against H."
 Was Plea for Pence
 The senator's speech was plea for peace. He denied that the four power treaty provided for an alliance, but stated that If it did he would sup ppI@ IL Juht dS ne nau supported the Versailles treaty. He made the point that 1t eliminated the Anglo Japanese alliance and removed the ever pres ent possibility of war between the United States and Japan. He declared with emphasis that tho treaty had behind 1t tho active support of the people of the country. He charged opposing democrats with inconsist- ency. inasmuch ns he eontended that they were now attempting to defeat the very principle for which they struggled in the Versailles treaty.
 Democrats who are fighting the treaty had arranged severely to heckle the Alabama senator, but they found 1t impossible to irritate him, as they had irritated Senator Lodge the day previous. Underwood was courteous to an extreme degree, abso- lutely frank and candid in his re- plies, so patient that his patience vexed his enemies, so imperturbable that they were finally forced to l abandon the pursuit
 Robinson Chief HeeIS1er The chief heckler was Senator Rob inson of Arkansas. To his every re- quest the Alabama senator yielded He did not object even when Robin son indulged in argument. and with y. Just once did he protest.
 "I would rather" he said, that the senator ask his questions. He made that same speech yesterday" { Others who endeavored to lay a snare for the Alabama senator were Senator's Watson of Georgia. Reed of Missouri. France of Maryland, Walsh of Montana and Glass of Virginia Sometimes, four were standing at once ready to renew interrogations just as soon as Underwood concluded the answer he was making
 Underwood's strategy consisted in answering each question as deliber- ately and as completely as it had been put In that manner he required hls hecklers to come ono at time, prevented with cleverness the plying of several questions at once and suf- fered no particular question to re- main unanswered.
 So successful was he In meeting objections as expressed by his oppo- nents that Senator Reed found 1t necessary to attempt an answer to his speech after it had been con- cluded. Reed addressed himself par ticularly to ridiculing that portion of Underwoods speech in which he had expressed belief that controver- sies In the future would be settled &C., cording to tho doctrine of Christ rather than by war.
 He vented the anger stored in his system by attacking the Japanese In vitriolic manner and language
 Senator Underwood was heard by g. full membership of the Senate and by galleries that were packed.