The Washington herald., 1922-03-22
DENIES SECRET
lBARGAIN WITH
BRITAIN IMPACT
President Joins Hughes
In Denouncing Borah's
Charge in Senate.
ERAVATH DISOWNS
SPEECH AS QUOTED
Senator Retorts Sharply.
Vote on Treaty Due
at Noon Friday.

Hughes yesterday sharply denied
and denounced both the word and
the thought that the United States
may have entered into secret un-
derstanding with Great Britain rel
ative to action in the Pacific.
Reports of such an understand
ing. spread upon the records Mon
day by Senator Borah in arguing
against ratification of the four
power Pacific treaty, resulted in au-
thoritative word at the white House
that such an understanding would
be ''perfidious and outrageous" Such
an act, il was stated on behalf OF
the President, was "unthinkable."
absolutely False Says Hughes.
Before the White House reaction
to the Borah Allegations had been
revealed, Secretary Hughes had
written a letter to Senator Lodge
with the Presidents approval de-
claring that Borah's charges were
absolutely false" Recalling that
in a previous letter he had stated
there were no secret understandings
at the arms conference. Mr.. Hughes
closed his letter with the following
blunt expression:
Permit me to express the hope
that the American delegates will be
saved further aspersions upon their
| veracity and honor"
In addition to Secretary Hughes
letter and the White House decla-
ration. Paul D. Cravath, who was
quoted by Borah as the source OF
the latter's remarks, wired Lodge
a denial of specific utterances at
tributed to him in the communica-
tion Borah read to the Senate
Monday.
President Is Amazed.
At the White House the President
was represented to be utterly un-
able to understand why anybody
should think that the United states
would commit so "perfidtous, un-
thinkabIe and outrageous" an act
as to enter into any secret under
standing with one nation behind the
back of another whose interests
were effected, and on an occasion
Of high purpose such as the arms
conference.
The United States. 1t was stated
further. has no secret agreement
OF any kind with any nation in the
world"
The sharp rejoinders of the White
House and Secretary Hughesto Bor-
abs reports marked the high spots
in yesterdays fight around the four
power Pacific treaty. Mr.. Hughes
letter. together with Cravath's teIe-
gram. were read to the Senate
shortly after the session opened.
Borah Quick to Reply.
Borah was quick to speak In an
swer. being delayed only by a speech
of Senator Edge favoring the
treaty.
He reread his version of Cravath's
remarks upon which he based his
Mondays argument, then read Crav-
ath's denial and concluded:
"If that Kind of a plea had beer
made in court. the court. Of course.
would have assessed a judgment OF
guilty against the man that made
81"
With but two days of debate re-
naming. the opponents of the treaty
are making the most of the Cravath
incident in an effort to swing tine
few votes necessary to bring about
a rejection of the pact. Senator
Shields, Democratic irreconcilable of
Tennessee, was unable to move that
the treaty be sent back to the For
eign Relations Committee. as he had
intended. but will do this before the
vote Is taken. Shields will demand
that Secretary Hughes. Cravath,
ElIhu Root and, perhaps others, he
summoned
Vote Due o. Friday.
The vote on the treaty will come
Friday noon. under terms Of a unan-
imous agreement made last week.
administration leaders remain conf
dent that the ratification Will he by
a vote of ca to IS or 90, and count
on the flood Of denials to prevent
damage being done by the charge of
secret agreements. Senator Lodge,
the Republican leader, Is said to
have assured President Harding that
the situation was satisfactory.
The remaining hours of debate
will be largely consumed by formal
speeches from Senators who are
anxious to put their views on rec
ord. Each Senator is allowed an
hours discussion of the treaty. and
half an hours discussion of reser-
vations after the limitation of de-
bate becomes effective at noon to-
day.
Cravath Firm In Denial.
Cravath. in his telegram to
Lodge. made unequivocal denial
that he made the statements at
tributed to him.
"T hope I need not assure you
ludL NIAE CLARKE Is
Cravath wrote. IT never made such
a statement nor have I ever talked
with any member of the Washing
ton conference on the subject of
the alleged statement"
Cravath went on to say that ap-
parently Borah had read uncor-
rected minutes. and that he did not
have in mind any secret agree
ment or understanding between
America and Britain.
Borah's retort to this was a read
ing of the corrected minutes of the
meeting at which Cravath had
spoken. He challenged Senators to
compare them with the report he
he4-read Monday to see II any diff
ference existed. Borah said he had
expected such a reply from Cravath.
and had therefore reserved the cor
fected copy. He added that ap-
parently he had taken the meas
urement" of the man correctly.
Whatever injustice / did to Mr..
Cravath. did not misquote him."
Borah declared
He informed the Senate he would
have more to tell them about what
Continued On Page Tico.