Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1922-12-24
HIRAM JOHNSON
SEES DANGER IN
CONFE ERENCE Of
WORLD P0WE rs
ASSaiI8 Proposal of Senator
BOrah for an Economic
and DiSarning Farley to
Be Called by Harding
POSITION OF THE
PRESIDENT UNKNOWN
Plan, if It Goes Through,
Would Dump the Ills Of
Europe Into Americas
Lap, Californian Says

GGl WV llltO 'tllS' 'S~N
Lapl Californian Says
Washington, Dec. 23.--The pro-
posaI Of Senator Borah. republican,
Idaho. for an economic and dis
armament conference to be called
by President Harding, was assailed
tonight by Senator Johnson, re-
publican, California. who said in
a public statement that the plan
would dump into Americas lap
the economic ills of Europe and
the reparations muddle. Senator
Johnson's statement was the first
outward evidence of a breach ia
the ranks of the senate ''irreconcil-
ables" over the BOrah proposal
now pending as an amendment to
the naval appropriation bill. Sen
ators Borah and johnson were
steadfast allies throughout the long
fight against the league of nations
and on many other questions OF
foreign and domestic policy they
have acted together. Others of the
'irreconcilables' group are report
ed tonight to be opposed to Sena-
tor Borah's amendment which is
to come before the senate when it
reassembles next Wednesday. and
Senator Johnson's public attack
was interpreted as meaning at
least that Senator Borah had not
consulted with his colleagues be-
fore considering the proposal.
Watson Sees Harding
The Administrations attitude to-
ward the amendment has not been
disclosed, but senator leaders are
expected to confer with President
Harding before It comes to vote.
Senator Watson republican, 1ndi-
ana, discussed the mendment with
the president today. but said he did
not learn Mr.. Harding's position.
After his White House visit. how
ever. the Indiana senator said he
would not support the amendment
in its present form but would favor
reservations declaring against
canceling Europe's debts to Amer
lea and also against commitments
under tho treaty Of Versailles
The democratic position on the
plan also is in the making. Most
of the democrats have been eX-
pected to give 1t their support. OIL
though some have said privately
they believed an European eco
nomic conference in this country
would be impractical In other
democratic quarters the Borah
plan is hailed as an endorsement
OF the democratic position foc
American cooperation in Euro
pean scttlemer4s.
Prolonged Discussions
Prolonged discussion of the
Borah and similar amendments is
predicted generally Senator King.
democrat, Utah. has a conference
amendment pending and the bin
already contains house provision
requesting the president to call an
other naval limitation conference
to deal with small vessels and
crafts not regulated by the Wash-
ington naval treaty.
The statement issued by Senator
Johnson tonight declared that what
Senator Borah had proposed was in
reality an abandonment of "the
traditional policy of America"
IAN economic parley," said Sem
ator Johnson, ''of necessity must
consider not only present condi-
tions in Europe but the debts due
to us and, of course, the repara-
tions due from Germany. Were
we to invite the interested nations
to discuss these subjects, in order
to arrive at understanding and
agreements with a mental reservar
ton TO take no part in the ultimate
solution, we would be guilty OF a.
species Of bad faith, of which
America has never been guilty, and
which Americans never can tol-
crate.
Rcparations MIDDLE
"If We bring the nations OF tho
earth here to Washington to such
a conference. we will dump into
Americas lap the economic ills OF
Europe and the reparations mud
die. IL officially we sit down with
the other nations who meet at our
invitation and reach an under-
standing ana agreement. We are in
honor bound to carry out and exe-
cute that agreement and the very
instant we undertake to carry out
an agreement to enforce repara-
tions that instant we abandon the
traditional policy of America. We
become 4 part Of the European
scheme Of things and we enter
upon that course from which we
have so recently escaped and our
people overwhelmingly repudiated.
we cannot officially with tho
nations Of Europe enter into agree
ments for the solution of Europes
present economic ills without be-
ing involved politically. It's true
We have troops on the Rhine. The
administration claims they are un-
der the armistice. It's equally true
we have observers in Europe. But
having these troops on the Rhine.
even as | think wrongfully. under
existing conditions and our OBJ
servers in Europe is a vastly diff
ferent thing from begging all
Europe TO come to Washington to
reach an agreement in which we
officially participate and which in
good faith we must aid in execut-
ing,
THE difference is the difference
between the policy of Woodrow
Wilson and that endorsed and ap-
proved by the American people in
1920"