Imperial Valley press., 1922-12-27
LODGE IN
ATTACK ON
bORAH PLAN
Administration Backing
Attack on BOrah
No Arms Plan
LODGE LEADS FIGHT
Senator Says Army Now
Too Small; France
Won't Agree
by United Press Lcnsed Wire

WASHINGTON, Dee. 27.-A con
ference to consider land disarma-
ment, as suggested by Senator Borah
in connection with his proposal for
an economic conference, would be
useless, Senator Lodge declared to-
day in speech to the senate, "un-
less in advance France withdrew
hqr objections and agreed to cooper
ate with the other powers in lower
ering land forces.
Lodge thus opened the combined
attack of the Harding administra-
tion on Borah s two proposals for an
economic and disarmament parley.
Previously about 90 Republican SEN
ators in ga war council in Lodge s
office, agreed to fight Borah s move.
''Perhaps France has changed her
attitude since barely year ago, she
refused to consider land armament
reduction at the disarmament con
ference,' said lodge.
"If she has, l have no informa-
tion to that effect. Perhaps Sen
ator Borah has. -
Says Army Small
The United States, Lodge said, re-
duced forces to something less
than proper peace strength. -
Lodge similarly reviewed the arms
conference failure to reach agree
ments on the submarine and aircraft
questions, included in the amend
ment to the naval bill which the
house adopted and which Borah
seeks to broaden.
"The American delegation pre-
sented n complete program to the
arms conference relating to limita-
tion of auxiliary crafts" Lodge,
who was one of the delegates, said.
''But the French were opposed to
the proposition, BRAND pointed out
that his government could not ac-
cept any proposition relating to abo-
lition or limitation of cruisers and
submarines without coming in con
flict with both houses of its legis-
lative body
Lodge pointed out that France and
Italy have not yet ratified the nav
al limitation treaty, without which
ratification the work of the confer
ence will remain ineffective.
Wants More Aircraft
"We have no information, so far
as / am aware, from Holland,
France, Japan, Italy or Great Brit
ain, that they would discuss limita-
tion or aircraft, submarines or auxil-
iary craft, said Lodge, therefore
such conference would be futile.
1t might do no harm, except to place
us in an embarrassing position, but
it certainly would do no good. In
my opinion, we should do nothing
about it, therefore, until informed
by those in charge of our foreign re-
lations that such conference would
be effective"
Lodge said the United States
ought, "above all things to build
cruisers and airplane carriers per-
mitted under the Washington treaty.
"They are absolutely needed and
we have the right to have them, ~
he asserted.
Taking up the proposal for an
economic conference, Lodge said in
his opinion, it was not in order until
the senate rules.
cts Importance, however, is very
great Lodge continued.
Selfishness ~alone will make MS
all desire to do anything possible to
have the United States do all it can
to aid Europe"
The Borah proposal, Lodge said,
is so broadly drawn that it has no
boundaries, and it seems to me if
we are going to consider it, that we
ought to know exactly what the
powers Of this conference are to be.
As it is worded, there is nothing to
prevent the conference considering
the foreign debts due to the United
States, a subject already taken care
Of by congress.