Arizona republican., 1922-01-05
SENATOR JOHNSON.
ATTACKS TERMS OF
FOUR POWER PACT
California Senator Says Harding's Erroneous
Construction Of QuadrupLe Pact Good
Reason For All To Study Every Word OF
Unexpected And Extraordinary Contract
IRepubIIcan A. p. Leased WIre1


SAN FRANCISCO, Jan. 4--United
States Senator Hiram w. Johnson in
a statement to Californians today
said: president Harding's erroneous
construction OF the Quadruple alli-
ance treaty is the most cogent reason
for all of us to study every word and
phrase before we commit our country
TO this unexpected and extraordinary
contract"
The statement was issued in ac-
cordance with a suggestion that he
endeavor ito interpret the concrete
things that come out OF the Wash
ington conference on the limitation
of ornaments"
Senator Johnson said that there
was universal approval Of the orig
inal purpose of the conference and
substantial unanimity in the hope
and desire that armaments would be
limited. Any results, he said, just
to the participants, lessening arma-
ments, will be most cordially and en-
Enthusiastically welcomed.
But" he continued, because we
favor disarmament and would make
almost any sacrifice for peace, is no
reason why we must accept anything
which may be rendered us in the
sacred name of peace, or under the
guise Of disarmament.
"Out of the secrecy OF the con-
ference has-come, first, an expected
treaty, unrelated to the original pur-
pose OF the gathering and uncon-
nected in reality with the limitation
OF armaments. The treaty is OF
transcendent Importance to Califor-
MIA and of only less Importance to
the nation. 1t should. be carefully
and calmly studied, narrowly scruti
nized and it's meaning should be thor
oughly understood, before we are ir-
revocably committed to it,"
Senator Johnson cited that Great
Britain had an offensive and defen-
sive alliance under which Great Bril-
tain's colonies were chafing, that
Japan wished continuance of the
alliance, that apparently Japan in
sisted, If 1t were to be abrogated,
upon something as good, "and got
something hetter." He also recited
the preamble of the new quadruple
alliance as follows:
with q view Of preservation of
the general peace and the mainte-
nance of their rights in relation to
their insular possessions and insular
dominions in the regions OF the Pa
cific ocean"
"This language" he said, ''it now
appears was the subject of prolonged
debate in the secret sessions. We do
know, however, that the president
himself was not aware that insular
dominions' included Japan and as
serted in a public interview that it
did not.
"AIessrs. Hughes, Root, Lodge and
Underwood, representing the United
States, and those representing the
other nations say that 'insular do
minions are intended to include the
island of Japan, as well as New
Zealand and Australia, and their con-
Struction is now accepted.
"The first admitted fact in any
discussion of the treaty is that the
maintenance OF our island possessions
is guaranteed, while the island pos
sessions and the mainland of Japan
are guaranteed"
Article II of the alliance provides,
in substance, he said, that IF the
rights of the parties are threatened
by aggressive action of any other
power, the parties shall communicate
with one another fully and frankly
sin order to arrive at an understand
ing as to the most efficient measures
to be taken, jointly and separately,
to meet the exigencies Of the particu-
lar situation
ITO take a concrete illustration:
If aggressive action shall threaten
the United States, we shall meet with
the other three powers to determine
the most efficient measures to be
taken, jointly and separately to meet
the aggression.
"On the one hand 1t Is contended
that this language means no more
than that the parties, having met
and determined the most efficient
means to meet the aggression, may
do nothing further: while on the 9TH
er hand it is asserted that the pur-
pose OF the contract being the main
tenance of the rights Of the parties,
when aggression threatens these
rights md the parties meet and de-
termine the efficient means of meet
ing the aggression they are in honor
bound to execute the means decided
upon.
"Unless behind the treaty there is
the power to enforce it and the un-
derstanding that the power shall be
used to meet the exigencies OF the
particular situation the instrument
is a useless and futile illumination"