Evening star., 1922-03-11
SECRETARY HUGHES
ASSA|LS CRITICS OF
PARLEY DELEGATES
Intimation That Americans
Were Induced to Accept
Cunning Plan Resented.
NOT SLIGHTEST MYSTERY
ABOUT BASIS OF TREATY
No Secret Notes or Understandings,
Secretary Sets Forth in Let
ter to Underwood.

Secretary of State Hughes in let
ter today to Senator Underwood took
occs sion to characterize intimations
that the American delegates were in
duced to accept some plan cunningly
contrived by others opposed to Amer
lean interests as "a very poor and
erroneous conception of the work in
connection with the conference" The
Secretary added that the amenities of
international intercourse precluded
revealing the informal and confiden-
tial suggestions and conversations in
ci1ent to the negotiations. but he as
sured the Senate that a full dis
closure of everything said or done
would reveal nothing derogatory to
the part taken by the American dele
gates. He asserted it would show no
consideration or acceptance of any
position not entirely consistent with
the traditional policies of the Amer
lean government.
Requires No Commentary.
The four-power pact itself requires
no commentary, the Secretary said.
adding that no ingenuity In argument
or hostile criticism can add to 1t or
make it's engagements greater than
'its unequivocal language sets forth"
There no secfe. nv.eS OF unuer-
standings, he asserted.
Authorship Unimportant.
Discussing the genesis of the treaty.
which has been the subject of ques-
tions in the Senate from its opponents.
Mr.. Hughes said while the ''ques-
tion of authorship is unimportant,"
after assent had been given by Great
Britain and Japan that France should
be a party, he himself prepared a
draft of the treaty based upon the
various suggestions which had been
exchanged between the delegates"
There is not the slightest mystery
about the treaty or basis of suspicion
cit is Straightforward document
which attains one of the most impor-
tant objects the American government
has had in view and is Of the highest
importance to the maintenance of
friendly relations in the far east upon a
sound basis" T~
Failure of the Senate to ratify the
treaty. Mr.. Hughes declared. would
be nothing short Of a national calamity"
Senator Underwood read the letter
treaty in the Senate today.
The text of the letter follows:
My Dear Senator: understand
that in the course of debate in the
Senate upon the four-power treaty
questions have been raised with re-
spect to it's authorship. 1t seems to he
implied that in some way the Amert-
can delegates have been imposed upon,
or that they were induced to accept
some plan cunningly contrived by
others and opposed to our interests.
Betray Poor Conception.
Apart from the reflection upon the
competency of the American dele
gates, such intimations betray a very
work in connection with the confer
ence, no part of which-whether with
in or outside the conference meet
tngs-was begun, prosecuted or con-
cluded in intrigue. Nothing could be
farther from the fact.
'1t is. of course. wholly inconsis-
tent with the amenities of interna-
tional intercourse. that the informal
and confidential suggestions and con-
versations incident to negotiations
should be stated, but the Senate may
be assured that a full disclosure of
everything said or done in the course
of the negotiations would reveal
nothing derogatory to the part taken
by any of the American delegates or
involve any consideration or accept
arce OF any position not entirely
consistent with the traditional poll
cies of this government
Matter Outside Conference.
"Ir should be remembered that the
four-pcwer treaty dealt with sub
ject-the Anglo-Japanese alliance
which. as an agreement between two
powers competent to make and con-
tinue it, was not, and in the nature
of things could not be. appropriately
placed upon the agenda. Technically
it was a matter outside the confer
ence. although the conference fur
nished an excellent opportunity for
conversations regarding 1t.
while l cannot. of course. under
take to state what was proposed or
suggested in confidence by any of the