Evening star., 1922-02-17
PRESIDENT TO QUIZ
HUGHES ON TREATY
/
Will Communicate With Sec.
retary on Senate Request
on Four.PoWer Pact.

While President Harding was pre-
pairing to communicate with Secre-
tary Hughes today regarding the
Senate request for further informa-
ton on the four-power Pacific treaty,
the Senate foreign relations commit
tee completed it's preliminary read
ing Of all the arms conference trea-
ties except that relating to Yap and
laid them aside without action until
next week.
No serious opposition was revealed
to the general far eastern or
Chinese tariff pacts. which were
read by the committee at today's
discussion of the provision Of the
naval limitation treaty fixing a forti-
ications status quo" in the Pacific.
Committee members indicated that
they would desire the advice of
American naval authorities before
they acted on the fortifications ar
ticle. -
Meet Again Monday.
Meeting again Monday, the commit
tee is expected to consider the Yap
treaty and perhaps have before 1t at
the same time the Presidents reply
to the resolution adopted yesterday
asking for records of the four-power
treaty negotiations. Mr.. Harding is
understood to have taken steps to
communicate with Secretary Hughes,
who has gone to Bermuda, after a
visit to the White House today by
Senator Lodge. who was a member Of
the American delegation.
Senators Johnson, republican, CAL
ifornia, and Borah. republican, idaho.
asked a number OF questions at the
committee meeting regarding the
fortifications status quo" agreement
under which the United States pledges
not to further fortify the Philippines
and Guam.
The California senator told his COL
leagues that he desired further in
formation as to how the status quo"
zone was defined. and indicated that
ance of American naval officers before
the committee or for adoption of a
resolution asking the executive
branch OF the government for the de-
sired data.
Chinese Tariff Discussed.
Senator Borah also started q COM
mittee discussion regarding the Chi
nese tariff treaty, asking whether its
provisions did not infringe upon the
sured by Senator Lodge that the ar
rangement was the most satisfactory
that could be obtained at the present
time, but there were indications that
some further discussion would be
necessary.
While they awaited word from the
White House on the four-power pact
the committee members revived in
their private consultations the project
! of a reservation declaring that the
agreement could not be construed
as obligating the United States to
mi ho
! authorization Of Congress.
Several members, both republicans
| and democrats, were said to be lean
/ ing toward adoption Of such a stfpu-
1 lation, and all agreed that much de-
| bate was in prospect. both within the
| committee and on the Senate floor.
| Treaties Under Consideratfon.
| The foreign relations committee al
a meeting yesterday afternoon de-
| termined to go ahead with the con-
| sideration Of the other treaties, while
| the Senate awaits the reply Of the
President to the Hitchcock resolution
calling for information regarding the
power Pacific treaty. The committee
completed it's reading Of the naval
limitation treaty and the submarine
and poison gas treaty yesterday, with
out bringing to light any indication
| of opposition to these pacts.
When President Harding will reply
to the resolution is uncertain, in view
of the absence of Secretary Hughes
| who has gone to Bermuda. 1t is in
| dicate6, however, that action will be
| taken as quickly as possible because
| Of the Presidents desire to have
| ratification on the treaties completed
without delay. Despite the attention
/; temporarily given the other treaties
I by the foreign relations committee
Senate leaders have not altered their
intention of bringing the four-power
| treaty up for ratification first.
No Vote Taken.
Although it completed reading the
naval Limitation and submarine
| treaties at yesterdays meeting, the
| foreign relations committee did not
take vote regarding approval of
either. 1t was indicated that COM
mittee Endorsement of none of the
other treaties would be asked until
the members were ready to act on
the four-power pact. and that the
whole group might then be reported
to the Senate on the same day.
In order that the full scope and
intent of tho four-power agreement
might be understood, Mr.. Lodge put
into the Senate record yesterday a
copy Of q note sent by the four sig
natory powers to Portugal and the
Netherlands, declaring that the In