Roanoke Rapids herald. [volume] (Roanoke Rapids, N.C.) 1914-192?, 1922-03-24
Four Power Pacific Treaty to Be
Ratified by Ssnate Unless
All SignsFaiI.
MARGIN At LEAST five VOTES
Allied Preparations Commission De.
clines to Pay Bill for American Ex-
penses on Rhlne-Fiohting in
South Africa-lndia in
Ferment.
BY JOHN DICKINSON SHERMAN

THE four-power Pacific treaty, 1t
was asserted last week, would be
ratified by the senate, unless all signs
should fall. A margin of at least five
votes was predicted. 1t follows that
the other six pacts of the armament
conference will be approved as mat
ter of course, If the treaty is ratified.
An agreement to vote was reached
Wednesday. II was farther agreed to
take no more votes on amendments or
reservations before the final vote, and
to limit debate. 1t looked last week
as If Senator Underwood, minority
leader, would come across with at
least eleven votes, instead of the eight
he was expected to deliver.
Early in the assault on the treaty
came the charges that the treaty had
been framed by the British and Japa-
nese; that secret negotiations had been
concealed, and that the American dele
gates had been imposed upon. Secre-
tary Of State Hughes thereupon stated
that he wrote the treaty, that there
was no mystery about the treaty and
that 1t was a good treaty. He was
modest about 1t and he was plain
spoken. His statement was made in
the form OF a letter to Senator Under.
wood Of Alabama, one Of the four
American delegates, who as minority
senate lender Is charged with the
onerous job of delivering enough
Democratic votes to assure the ratifica-
ton Of the treaty. Secretary Hughes
said, among other things
"The treaty itself Is very short and
simple. and is perfectly clear. It re-
qulres no commentary. Its engage
ments are easily understood. and nc
ingenuity in argument or hostile critl
cism can add to them or make then
other or greater than Its unequlvocaI
language sets forth. There are nc
secret notes or understandings.
"ln view Of this, the question OF
authorship is unimportant. 1t was
signed by four powers, whose dele
gates, respectively, adopted 1t, all hav
Ing made various suggestions. may
say, however, with respect to the gen
eral course of negotiations that after
assent had been given by Great Britain
and Japan that France should be Q
party to the agreement | prepared @
draft Of the treaty based upon the
various suggestions which had beer
exchanged between the delegates. q.
should add that, in order to avoid any
misunderstanding | prepared memo
randum to accompany the treaty with
respect to Its effect in relation to the
inundated Islands and reservinf
domestic questions.
AT this stage, while II was moi
strictly a conference matter, In order
to insure publicity at the earliest pos
sible moment, the treaty, as thus
agreed upon, and before II had been
signed. was presented by Senator
Lodge 10 the conference in plenary
session and Its import and limitations
stated. His statement met with the
acquiescence Of all.
There Is not the slightest mystery
about the treaty or basis for suspicion
regarding 1t. II is straightforward
document which attains one Of the
most important objects the American
government has had In view, and is
Of the highest importance to the main.
tenance of friendly relations in the
Far East upon sound basis. AS the
President recently said, In his COM
munication to the senate, II is an es-
sentlal part Of the plan to create con-
dltions In the Far East at once favor
able to the maintenance Of the policies
we have long advocated and to an en-