New-York tribune., 1922-03-17
Definite Opposition by
Former President Is
Believed Only Possible
Menace to Ratification
Line-Up Unchanged
By Reeds Attack
Missour:'s Senator Holly
Assaiis Hughes, Root
and Taft; Charges L. S.
Prestige Is Sacrificed

Whatever FAINT hope the opponents
Of the four power treaty have OF
preventing ratification in tho Senate
centers about former President
Woodrow Wilson. 1t developed to-
night that Democratic Senators who
are leading the opposition believe
they can muster enough votes 20
block ratification if the former Pres
idcnt intervenes personally With cer-
tain Democratic Senators and gets
them to oppose it.
Senators in position TO know
the facts doubt whether Mr. Wilson
will go to such lengths. though there
are indications he is no. Tor ratiii-
cation of the treaty; his active inter-
vention IN the fight By appear u
those Senators VINO have been wav-
ering is merely q hope, not an e1-
pectation, on the part Of the foes of
the four-power agreement.
Reports were current about the Sen~
ate late to-day. however, that the on
position leaders we're seeking to fn1
d way to prevail on Mr.. Wilson to iumc
into the breach. These reports lacked
official confirmation. but there is muce
in the situation to bear them out
Reeds Speech Ineffective
Notwithstanding a vigorous speech
by Senator Reed. OF Missouri, today
against the four power treaty and in
criticism of the tonnage allowed Grea.,
Britain and Japan under the naval
treaty, there IS no perceptible change
in the prospective vote OF the Senate
on the four-power agreement. Al IN
dications contiuue That the treaty WI.
be ratified and ratified with no other
reservation than the modified Brande-
gee reservation as reported by the For
eign Relations Committee. Senators
who arc leading in the fght for the
treaty arc contiden: of ii comfortable
margin Of votes in their favor.
A small group OF Senators opposed
to reservations have not abandoned c.
forts TO eliminate the modified Branj--
gee reservation, bur tho present OUT
look is that they wall not succeed 4
this should be seriously attempted %
would make thc situation as TO ratiiica.
ton extremely close and doubtful. sen.
ator Lodge fears If would cndanger the
treaty.
Navering Democrats Besegcd
The leaders o. the opposition be
stirred themselves 10 try to line UP
against the treaty a small group O.
Democrats who have been more or lese
Wavering but arc now expected 10 sup
port ratification. In pursuance Of t.is
purpose, there were various lnforma.
conferences Among those who have
been looked OF - more or less ur-
certain but arc regarded now as aligned
with Senator Underwood 5or ratifca-
ton, are Senators Fletcher and Tram
neil. OF Florida; Mckclar. of Tonnes
see: Hendricks Of Wyoming and Smith
of South Carolina
Senator Reed. in his speech, Charged
that President Harding has broken
faith with The American people by en-
tering in 20 the four powc: agreement
and assailcd the Republican irrecoNci'-
ablcs who are against TIE Treaty o.
Versailles He then delivered caQs
tic attack on Elinu Root and fings a.
Secretary Hughes, Mr.. TAFT. nov Caief
Justice: Secretary Hoover and. withcct
mentioning him by name. Secretary
Mellon. He charged that these advisers
of Mr. HARDING we're in favor or word
entanglements.
Dealing at length with the nava,
strength Of the powers under the naval
agreement, Senator Reed sought to
show the United States was put ~
great disadvantage lie excited con-
ment BY reading long tables Of naval
comparisons, which he said had been
checked over by two Of thc leading
naval experts of the country He did
not mention their names and the II fer
ence was drawn that the data had ;,een
given him by officers Of the navy .'ho
arc against the terms Of the Taval
limitation treaty and against the fS.'r-
power treaty.
Declares L. S. Left Helpless
Senator Reed contended TIA. the
United States was left without nSva .
bases in the Far East. that II wou'G
be unable 10 fight successfully III that
part of the world. that under the nava'
agreement Great Britain would have
six swift battle cruisers and Japan
four while The United States would
have none. and that the United States
with q slow-going feet could not cope
with either Great Britain or Japan.
He insisted that the United States
would be left in an "absolutely help
less condition.
The Senator contended that while
outwardly the naval agreement pa.
Great Britain, the United States and
Japan on 5-o-3 basis, as a matter OF
fact. by reason Of the application of the
British system Of measurement to the
existing British and Japanese ships,
Great Britain and Japan were given an
advantage of 1915 per cent He ais"
| sought TO show the United States un-
der the agreement would have to scrap
much more tonnage on the active list
than either Great Britsin " Japan
II challenge the attent-.n Of those
Senators who have yet an interest in
these treaties and in their country to
statement regarding the condition in
which they have left or prgsose to
leave our navy" he said. :. save
called attention to the fact that the
naval bases are in the hands of Greac
Britain and Japan. We are practically
without them in all the waters of the
Pacific. and a feet with an ebua lance
of bases starts our in any Tng 9iS'a a
vast advantage over the nation Ehas