, 1922-12-28

$50
Senator Lodge for presentation dur
ing the senate's second day OF debate
on the Borah proposal. which Is ON
bodied in an amendment TO the naval
appropriation bill.
The president acted directly TO
block senate action after he had con
suited with Secretary Hughes and
after Senat Lodge had visited tho
White House and had reported on
the progress made in the fight al
resay being waged against the Borah
amendment by administration leaders
in the senate.
Just what the steps already taken
or in contemplation by the admins
tratlon may be. however, the presi-
dent did not reveal. He said mem
bers Of congress could learn II they
inquired in the proper way, but that
state department communications IN
SO delicate a subject obviously could
not be 'builetined from day to day"
III gre really wants TO help"
he added, II might well free the
hands" Of the debt funding commits
sion. which under the act creating 1t.
cannot alter the interest terms or
date of of the war debts.
Senator Lodge presented the presi-
dents letter immediately after the
senate convened and the reading of
It by a clerk which was listened to at
tentively by on both sides
Of h chamber.
Senator Borah noted on a pad of
PAPER the high spots Of the communi-
cation and smiled broadly at the
presidents declaration that h pro
poscs amendment would in effect give
=. tn preston that the executive
branu. OF the government was not
FULLY alive to the present world
situation, and that congress could
facilitate the work of the debt COM
mission by freeing the hands Of that
body"
Senator McNary. republican. Ore
eon. gained the floor after the letter
had beer read and began an address
in behalf OF the Borah proposal,
which he championed as a measure
likely to aid the American farmer by
restoring Europe and increasing Euro
psan purchases OF American agricul'
tural products.
An active member OF h senate
farm bloc. Senator McNary declared
his opposition Il an American policy
Of '~'isolation'' although .he said he
knew his views would rouse what he
termed the international statesmen
bio of the senate"
'I shall never know said Senator
McNary, whether It was the stub
bornness of our distinguished presi-
dent, woodrow Wilson. the perversity
of tho able senator from Massachu-
sets. Mr.. Lodge. or the eloquence OF
the irreconcilables that prevented the
ratification of the Versailles treaty,
yet I shall always think, as a mild
reservationlst, tina much Of the I'M
rest and hatred existing amonS the
nations at this time would not have
occurred II this treaty containing the
covenant of the league OF nations,
with the Lodge reservations. had been
ratified"
Senator McNary said the Borah
amendment would not obligate Amer
lea to any aggressive, nor defensive
military action, nor precipitate the
nation into any political maelstrom.
1t would be q step. he said. TO re-
establishment of European trade. He
ruKEested that German ~reparations
should be reduced and that increased
trad with Europe was needed more
by American armer tina the pend
ing farm credits legislation
Senator Lodge later told the senate
that he could not state explicitly"
the nature of the administration ne
gotiations for a conference, but was
authorized to say they did not include
cancellation OF the allied debt. He
said President Harding old him the
administration was opposed to can
collation. but inclined to favor longer