New-York tribune., 1922-02-17
Committee Hearing Dis
closes Strong Demand
for Reservations, Es-
pecially One OH Force
Hitchcock 'sDcmand
For Record Granted
No Objection 10 Treaties
on Navy, Submarines
and Gas Is Apparent

From The Tribono's Washington Bureau
WASHINGTON. Feb. 16. Strong on
position to the four-powcr treaty in its
present form was shown in the Senate
forcign Relations Committee to-day
when consideration of the treaties
drawn by the recent armament con-
terence was resumed. The naval agree
mcnt and the treaty relating to sub
marines and gases and part of tho
lap treaty were read without antapo-
nlsm being evident. and it was believed
IL would not be difficult to obtain a
favorable rcpor. on them whenever the
committee saw ht
" h.lc no action was taken bv the
committee on the four-nowcr treaty. it
WAS maze clear that the movement for
reservations would be strong. This an
Plies especially to tho proposed res
ervatIon to exclude use of force.
ne committee held both morninr
ana ana afternoon sessions considering the
oar-poWer treaty in the morninc and
o'ner treatlcs in the afternoon. To-
morrow tho Chinese policy treaty will
DC taken up. Administration leaders
ere pleased with the progress made on
'he treaties other than the four-pownr
treaty P0"0'
New Article \ Charged
ne chief feature Of the morning scs
SION was speech by Senator Bran-
"escc' OF Connecticut, Republican. who
oontchded there was a moral OBLIGATION
uc'ocr 'he treaty to protect the rights
81 each OF the powers in the agree
mcnt, and to do so by warlikn mcae,,ros
4
'n'S respect TO Article X of the Icao,n
OF Nations covenant. Senator .yohnson
o' Na''lornla supported the views of
Borah. '' 'V"a'"'
U''crances Of Senator '}randcecc and
o'hers who supported him were looLod
on as preliminary to insjstcnce ON
reservation which will absolvc Tho
united States from any legal or moral
ooIlgatlon to 90 to war or take war|ika
measures to uphold the rights of anv
VI INC slgnatores in the Pacific.
another important development of
ate OF the Hitchcock reservation call
ing on the Pres idcnt to submit TO tbe
senate all the records, minutes and
data relating to the negotiations and
proceedings leading up to the four
power treaty TINS resolution was
adopted after long discussion in which
senator Hitchcock expressed himself
as amazed" over the failure nj Tho
records as sent to the Senate bv tho
president to contain information re-
'atlng to the negotiations on the four-
power treaty. Senator Lodge and Sen
a'or Underwood both made it plain
Trey mad no objection to the Hitchcock
resolution. although both were Of thc
opinion there vas littlc informatior
TO be had about the NEGOTIATIONS in
question, since they were in the main
exchanges Of conversation among dclc
gates.
Hitchcock's Plea Causes DELAY
by reason Of tho adoption of the
Hitchcock resolution in the Sonata Tho
Committee on Foreign Relations in the
afternoon decided to defer further
consideration Of the four-powcr treaty
Until the President replies to the
Hitchcock resolution. The committee
discussed the question Of procedure
and whether to have the four-pcwer
treaty reported to the Senate ahead of
the other treaties and taken IN first
for ratification. No decision was
reached, although there is strong
sentiment for action on the four
power compact first.
w hcn Inc FOrclgn NClatlOnS Com
n.ittcc met at 1890 there was dis
cussion Of the Hitchcock resolution.
the upshot of which was an informal
understanding that it should be
adopted by the Senate without refer
cnce to the committee
In his remarks relative to a moral
obligation under the treaty. Senator
Brandcgec held that if there should be
a conference Of powers in accordance
with the treaty to consider an infringe
acnt OF the rights of one of the sigma
tories ard the conference should decide /
on war or warlikc measures. the United
States would be morally bound to fol ,
low the recommendation Of the confer
,nce lie admitted Congress would (
nave the technical right to refuse to |
comply with the recommendation or dc
rsion Of the conference. But morally, |
le held, the United States would be !
pound to use force and could not, as a (
practical matter. escape the obligation.
Senators Differ in Interpretation
Senator Lodge did not agree with i
his interpretation, nor did Senator
Iohn Sharp Williams. Senator John
'or and Senator Borah supported it,
senator Borah suggested that the word
be inserted as reserva-
ion before the word "aggresaion,' so
Continued on next paqe)