Evening star., 1922-02-25
SENATOR EXPLAINS
RESERVATION AIMS
Continued from First Pase.D

of Connecticut. johnson of Califor-
mia and Borah of Idaho. on the one
hand, and President Harding on the
other. Anybody who imagines that
these men fought the Versailles
treaty because it was negotiated by
a democratic President has ample
proof of the error of such . Wow
when the same republican senator's
are Offering reservations to treaty
negotiated and signed by a repub.
licah President, and, indeed, one OF
their own former colleagues.
stitutional rights has developed which
is destined to have q faF-reachin8
effect on American affairs for years
to come.
The question is entirely unre-
lated to any personality In congress
aouss to the sfssRaRa 10 ns
1T is solely q question of under
standing the constitutional phases OF
the words United States govern.
ment' Under tho Constitution tho
government was divided into three
cial. nrmly believe neither the
executive nor the legislative want TO
encroach on the other. l know thas
the interpretations which arc placed
upon the duties OF the presidentiai
office differ from time to time.
man like President sid M, HEra,Ms Wi,snn miRht mIy
have another. / am not looking al
the question from tho personal visw-
point, for these differing conceptions
NAV rise TO trouble America long
after we OF the present generation
are dead.
Language OF Treaty Vital
Suppose. for instance. that ten or
fifteen years hence Russia has oeen
restored and encroaches on the north
ern half Of the Island Of Sakhaiin now
claimed by Japan. what does Japan
dot She calls a conference of powers
under the terms of the four-power
treaty. The preamble of the treaty
says its purpose is to maintain the
rights Of Great Britain. France, Japan
and the United States in relation 10
their insular possessions ana 9omin..
ions. 1t says in relation to whicn. OF
an aggression as Russia might start
toward tho Sakhalin Island: NOW
Iapan's rights in that island are q
matter Of dispute today. Yet article
two of the four-power treaty REQUIRES
conference OF powers ."msr Wnsnseet deye,on, n
over said rights 1t doesn't denne
what said rights may be and II We
do not nosv say that we have the right
TO determine for ourselves Whetner
those rights are valid or invaiid We
may he in the pos'tloh OIL ha''"e
acuuiesced in them. :.
"But when a conference ls caiou ~
in obvious from tae languages OF this
treaty that the purpose OF the conference
is to arrive at an understanding or an
adjustment What actually happensI
delegate or ambassador represents the
ITnited States at that conference. An
sereement is reached. Since Sakhaiin Is
an island, the only means OF protecting
1t Is by navy or by economic ooycott
of the offending power. NOW II may
develop that the public sentiment OF
America is against war with RUSSIA. OF
that we Of this country do not believe
Japan has a right to the island In ques-
tion. What 1 want to prevent 10 some
American President getting up ana say.
ing that an agreement has been reached
under the terms OF a treaty raunea 10y Uy
the United States Senate whereby con.
ference Of powers determines the most
efficient means Of maintaining the riShts
covered by the treaty.
"With tho immense powers which the
executive has of ordering WarsnipS 70
any quarter Of the gione-and s,a. .sc,a. sa,nhs
we NAV wake up and find ourselves on
the threshold Of war without a voice as
to whether we want to commit ourselves
to war. It is said that this Is understood
in the language Of the treaty. and we
who read English and are iamiier "isn IN
in agreement about 1t. but want every
body in Japan and Russia and elsewhere
IN the world to understand that Con-
sress has absolute freedom OF acton
and that the ratification or tnls treaty
doesn't put upon US any mora! or lesa,
obligation as to what we shall do In the
future when confronted with the ques-
ton Of maintaining anybody's rights In
the Pacific"
Relieve Reservation Needed.
Mr. Brandegee believes President
Harding himself holds the same view
about the rights and powers of Con-
sress, and probably feels that the
reservations are unnecessary because
he himself would surely consult Con-
sress, and would In advance Of max
Ing any serious move find out whether
Congress approved: But with the
tive. men like Senator Brandegse be-
iieve it would remove at oncs any
doubts in the minds OF foreign gov
ernments IL into the four-power
treaty were written specinc TeseF-
walton showing that Congress Is the
Anal authority when anything in
volving the use Of force is a,ntsm-
plated. . .,
own quick remedy when their prime
minister or foreign secretary In the
midst of q negotiation does somethlHg
which the people do not like; Over ss
night q ministry can ns overtnrn9a;
out of power in the midst OF a treaty
neeotiation which his parliament did
not approve Under nd r. m.d,.in the Amssiesn RI can
a. the arecutiye II he chooses to ix.
more Congress. That's why tha Bran
deree reservation may be regarded a.
almost a constitutional dev.'opMent
designad to give the people q greater
voice in foreign AFFAIRS.
(Copyright. 1SS2o
NVR ~NNNunNH