The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1922-03-03
ONE RESERVATION
SURE TO Be MADE
Lawrence Predicts Four
Power Treaty viii Then
Be Ratified by Senate
u. S. TO BE FREED
FROM ALLIANCE
Brandegee's Reservation Contains Hard
ing's Exact Words - Some Senators
Want Alliance for Protection OF Pa
ciiie But Majority Is Opposed to 1t.

Want Alliance for Protection OF Pa
cifie But Majority Is Opposed to It,
BY DAVID LAWRENCE
| Special Despatch TO The Reformer.)
r.. Copyright 1922.
| NASHlNGTON, March 3. - Senator
| Brandcgce ; reservation to the four
power treaty viii be adopted 1t con
| tains President Harding's exact words
IN the address made in the senate on
submitting the pact To vote down the
reservation may be construed as an af-
trmation of the argument that the four
| power treaty is an alliance and obligates
America TO go to war.
Ibis IS the situation as the debate on
the four power treaty begins Ratitica-
| ton with the Brandcgee reservation
seemed assured. Without it, there is
| danger OF defeat for the treaty.
| The views of most Of the senators who
advocate the Brandegce reservation have
/ been gwen to this correspondent. To
understand the reasons which actuate
them, II IS necessary TO study the exact
text OF the treaty As we'll as the reseT-
Vatlon which reads as follows.
The United States understands that
under the statement IN the preamble. or
under the terms Of this treaty, there
IS no commitment to armed force. no
alliance, no obligation 10 Join in any
defense. -
First, the senators who favor it make
1t clear thuI they do not for a moment
question Mr.. Harding Interpretation
OF the treaty but they want his inter
probation made a part of the ratifvinp
resolution itself SO the rest OF the world
anu future generations will not misum-
I rta ton \
IS merely an executive statement and
| the senate has not vet uttered its under
standing of the treaty
Would Settle Other Nations
If the Brandegee reservation is adoD-
ted by the senate included in ,he instriI-
ment Of ratification and EXCHANGED with
the other powers who signed the treaty
ana they do not protest that their under
standing Is different. then the other ma
TONS never could claim that tie United
states was under "anv. obHaation to
Join in any defense of their ..riahts
IN relation to their insular possessions
and lnsular domIniOns in the region of
the Pacific ocean.
Senators who take this view point
out that If the treaty without the reser-
vatlons means what President Harding
SAYS 1t does there can be no valid oh
Jectlon To letting the treaty say so bv
means OF a clarifying reservation. The
preamble OF The treaty declares that
one OF the purposes for which the treaty
: made Is the maintenance of their
rights IN relation to their insular nos
sessions I'm the Pacific ocean. Article
IL says that IF the said rights are
threatened by the aggressive action of
any other power. the contracting parties
shaiI communicate with one another to
arrive at an understanding as TO the
most eHcient measures to be taken.
Jointly or separately, to meet the eN-
agencies OF the particular situation -
Now IL p the view of many senators
that when aggressive action - OCCURS
the conference of powers does not bv|
any means meet merely TO decide whe-
thef they shall take anv measures
IheE communicate only lin order to-
arrive at an understanding as to the
most efficient means TO be taken
Quibbling ON Words
On the words most efficient means 4
the whole thing turns. There : the rub
The senators who feel deeply about thisI
subject point out that a yelled Obnga-I
ton Is IN that phrase for if the agpres
sive action is taken bv a naval affack
when an island in the Pacific belongiurl
to the British o. Japanese empires is
encroached upon. then the most eff
Gent II not the only effective measured
10 meet that eNlgencv would he Jointly !
10 send a navy to renel the naval at !
tack
While the aggression continues. the !
mted states would he obliged to do
something to help those whose rirhfS {
we're threatened. That ; the oninion Of !
most senators. Many senator. would |
IKE America to he free to use her rood !
Offices IN such controversies without in /
EoiFng naval or military force and thevI
are unwilling to have the treaty leave
the impression that the United States is /
obligated to 90 much further. Thcvl
want America 10 be free TO ioin i'm theI
naval measures if she likes and refrain
Jnsl as the circumstances of the case
and judgement of the American neopIa
may dictate. But they do not want anvil
foreign government to have the onpor-
UNITY TO make case saving the Unitedl
states has made ''scraD of papcr -
out OF sacred treaty They want the
United states to be able to say that at
no time did she bind herself |sto ioin IN
any defepse.'
Notwithstanding the views of thosei
who urge the Brandegee reservation.
there are some senators who favor tbnI
wording of the present treaty because
they want an alliance and because thew
think America should Join IN the com
mon defense of the Pacific. They inter
nret the treaty as meaning exactly that II
In view of this difference of opinion
among american senators. the advocates
OF the Brandegee reservation say Amer
Tea should say once and for all now and
not IN the future what she understands
by the treaty.
WOMEN MEN ADMIRE