Evening star., 1922-01-11
SEE TREATY FACING
PARTISAN CONTEST
Political Angle Declared
Probable in Senate's Recep-
tion of 4-Power Pact.
BY N. o. MESSENGER.

Politicians in Congress continue to
ind their attention drawn to the
political angle of the ratification by
the Senate Of the four-power Pacific
pact and there is considerable dis
cussion by and large Of the subject.
That there should arise a political
angle is surprising to many. in view
LOT the generally accepted thought
that this agreement in the interest
Of the peace Of the four powers
concerned should be outside the realm
Of party controversy or factional dis
putation.
President Harding, it has been
| made known, contemplates sending
| all the treaties and agreements OF
the Washington conference to- the
Senate at the same time. He has not
decided whether he will merely trans
NIT them or lay them before the
Senate with personal presentation
of arguments in behalf of their ratit-
hcation. The four-power pact may be
taken up first, it is thought.
View of Treaty surprtses.
It is inconceivable to the support
ers Of the four-power pact that the
allegation should be made: that the
treaty in any way affords such
ground for political assail as was fur
nished' by the Versailles treaty and
the league OF. nations. No analogy
exists between the two propositions,
It Is contended.
Those who approve the four-power
Pacific pact assert that it is but q
friendly corporation among the sig
natories to accomplish by friendly in
terchange the prevention Of resort to
hostilities, totally lacking In the in
| ternational commitments comprised in
! tho league OF nations.
In fact, 1t il insisted, this compact
looks to the preservation of national
integrity of each Of the participating
powers. while the league Of nations,
they charge, weakened nationality by
vestlng In the international organiza-
tion-the league of nations-elements
Of sovereignty which the United
states insisted must never be sur
rendered.
Suggestion Of "Good Politics."
In some political quarters the sug-
gestion has been advanced that 1t
would be good politics for the demo-
Gratis to attack the four-power pact
on the ground that as the republican
victory Of 1920 was in part due to the
fight against the league Of nations.
the democrats might win by assailing
this other International compact.
This argument is not accepted by all
the democratic leaders, however. Some
of them, who realize the essential DIFF
ference between the two proposals,
fear that the proposal would prove a
unless the four-power pact contained
the essence of the proposition which
was rejected by the voters In the
solemn referendum. Of 1920. namely.
impaired sovereignty and surrender
Of cherished rights to an international
the opposition to it only political
animus and would resent the attack.
U. 3. Position Stated.
1t is contended that the people Of
this country are not opposed to the
thought Of international agreements.
to be participated in by the United
States, as q broad proposition. but
only to the terms and the obligations
OF the cooperation among nations. It
will be recalled that at the outset the
league of nations won widespread
approval in this country, SO much so
that II q. vote could have been taken
treaty the week 1t was submitted. it
probably would have been ratified.
1t was only after the terms and
obligations Of that instrument had
been alleged to impair sovereignty
of the United States that sentiment
began to change in the country, a
change registered in the votes of
November, 1920.