The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1922-03-06
NO OBLIGATION
TO Use FORCE
SAYS SEN. new
Declares That 4-Power
Treaty Gives Safeguard
For Peace and Does
Not Impair American
Sovereignty

Washington, March 6-There is no
alliance in the four power Pacific
treaties nor any obligation to use
force Senator New of Indiana, Repuh-
lican member of the foreign relation
committee declared today in opening
the Senate's debate.
Replying to criticism of the trea-
ties Senator New, close personal
friend of President Harding, declared
that the four power treaties gave safe
guards for peace to the United States
and did not impair American sover-
eighty. Senator New made detail
ed comparison of the treaties with
the League of Nations plan and as
serted that the treaties were coop
erative while the league, he said, was
drastic 1 compulsory" and requir'
ed submission of all questions to
council.
Instead of threatening, injuring or
impairing our liberties, free institu-
tions independence and sovereignty
this treaty (the four power measurel
adds to the security of all Of them"
said Senator New. He emphasized
that rejection of the four power treaty
would continue in force the Anglo
Japanese alliance with its menace to
America.
Regarding the treaty provision for
cedure in case of aggression Senator
New said that the Root-Takahira
agreement contained similar clause.
1--WE have had for a decade an OBJ
legation with Japan couched in prac-
tically identical language, and yet no
one heretofore has suggested that this
constituted anything resembling an
alliance" he said. Certainly during
the ten years of its existence this has
led us into trouble, no embodiment,
no operations under a military al
lance"
On the question of use of force un-
der the treaties, Senator New con-
tinued. There is no provision for
force by one against the others by
the others against the one; there is
here not even a covert thereat force.
Force is not in this provision expli-
cited either in the foreground or back
ground There is here only an under
taking of and among friends to talk
over controversies and adjust them in
a spirit of amity and brotherhood.
But l wish to emphasize" Senator
New continued, that it is not an al
lance in heretofore accepted meaning
of the word and if it was not clearly
understood by all the powers party to
1t that it was none of these, | should
not venture to consent to its ratifica
tion.
There is not in this treaty nor aris-
ing from it any obligation whatever
to proceed to this extremity (use of
armed force unless and until Con-
eress, in the due exercise of it's pre-
rogative have fully debated the Ques-
ton"
Speaking generally of the arms con-
ferenbe and of the friendly spirit. he
said it had generated Senator New
added:
"The powers left the conference
possessed of every right, enjoying
every power which was theirs when
they came, save only those Willingly
and gladly given up for the general
good. They are thus more firmly
united, more strongly .willed for right
and justice in international relations,
stauncher friends and neighbors with
keener and more sympathetic mutual
understanding than ever before. The
spirit of sacrifice which has flowed
in and through the conference leaves
the world a safer and better place to
live in"