The Washington herald., 1922-01-25
White House Intimates
Europe Should First
Reduce Arms.
BRANDEGEE LEADS
DEBATE IN SENATE
Insists Nation Is Not to
Be Bound by Presi.
dents Emissaries,

An official announcement in re-
gard to the Genoa conference and
the invitation which was extended
to this government to participa g.
therein will be issued some ,,re
this week, it was stated at tn.
white House yesterday. The ori.f
gave no intimation
as to the nature of Americas de-
cision.
In this connection it was inade
known from sources in close to.ch
with the White House that the
administration is opposed TO tile
large military establishments which
arc being maintained by some Of
the European nations and believes
there should be reduction OF tn -se
forces in order to NheIp restore the
budgets and normal conditions.
The United States through the
reduction II has made in its arihy
with still further redIc.Ions ecs.
sible and through its proposal OF
naval limitation. AS offered "A fine
example to the world. II ws;s pointea
out. II the European nation,
which still maintain great armed
forces would reduce their armies
in any way comparable to wat tie
United States has done and Iini
security as this country does
through other means, 1t was SAID
that would bring about a great
transformation in the conditio rs
of the world and aid in It's com.
mercia1 and economic restoration
Attention was called TO the vast
army of more than 100000 trained
men which Russia sin keeps under
arms.
Drings Up Genon Qnestion.
Senator King of Utah. Democrat
brought up the Genoa question "a
the. senate. by calIin,r .aitsnt,on.. Z.
pabltshed ed statements that Fresf.
dent Harding had consulted Secre.
tary OF State Hughes. Secretary %.
Commerce Hoover, Elihu Root. Sen.
ator Brandegee and others about
participating in the proposed econ.
omic conference, ami that 1t hac
ueeH otClucu " uSCltHc the lHNlts
tion.
In view of the Importance OF the
Genoa conference, not oniv Il
Europe but to the United States,
said Senator King. "it seems TO m:
1t would be 'unwise for tkts gov.
ernment to determine not to par.
ticipate. Certainly the senate ough,
to nave something to say in q mat.
ter of that kind"
Senator Brandeg-e replied ;hat ht
did mot know whether tay decision
had been reachaI. He stated tina
he had conferred with the Presi.
dent and had given him his views
THE PreE.1'nt hal the temerit,
to request me to give my views
said Senator Brandegee, and ! hal
the audacity to answer.
Believes senate Supreme.
"I assume that the administra
tion would not participate wttnoui
consulting Congress with a view t.
binding the country. do not thinl
the President can commit the coun
try to a foreign policy without tn.
consent OF the Senate: l know
there are others who think the Presi
Is ana fdl
commit this country to foreign pol
icies without the consent OF either
the Senate or congress. never
have entertained that view. III m,
view the President is the executiv,
branch Of the government and hi.
business is to enforce the foreign
policies which are determined Upor
by the constitutional authoritic!
which represent the government.
president Wilson onre stated he.
fore he was president that tn,
President could so maneuver thing.
and manipulate things as to Se
the government into positIo!
where 1t could not cx.ricats Itself
honorably without congress agree.
Ing to whatever position the execu
tive might have taken.
Il agree with him that it is pos
sible for the President as com.
mander in chief OF the urmy AN,
navy to so manipulate branches o.
the government as ~ create condi
tons from which the country coulc
not extricate itself ~ n free agen
and il II Is so, th+ powers of tn,
President, not only ds to the direc
ton of the army anu navy bat a:
to his instructions to all ainbas
sadors, ministers sui dip!onatl
officials ought to be exercised it'll
the greatest care.
Watson Asks Question.
Senator Watson. Indiana. RepubI
can, interrupted to ask Brandagta
whether or not he wants us e
infer that the President has n
authority to appoint a representa-
tive of this governmen. to tn
Genoa conference or any other IN
ternational monetary conference
without first cons citing the Sen
sfe."
'I would not want to answer yes
or mo-" Brandagee. replied. II AL
NIT the right Of the President L
send as many personal emissarie
as he has the authority to pay tn
expenses of. They are his persona
agents. but I do not think the ac
of one of these desig iated gentle
men binds the country at all. ]
it comes to partIc ,,atii.g in 4 con
ference with other sovercigns, tn,
results OF which may be an agree
ment or an understanding between
the representatives sent by tn,
President and the country OF bed.
to which they WERE sent-I do no
consider that such an agreemen
binds the United States OF Americs
without the consent of congress
or. IL the agreemsn: be reduced t,
the form of tfsa.y, without tn,
constitutional majority of the Sen
-.