The Birmingham age-herald., 1922-12-24
Hiram Johnson Bitterly Plays Idaho Senator's Proposal to Call General Conference to Take Up Economic Ills of the Leading World Powers
OTHER GROUP MEMBERS ARE REPORTED OPPOSED
Californian Says Plan Would
 Dump Into Americas Lap All
 of Europe's Troubles Atti-I tude of Harding Toward Proposition Not Yet Known.
By Associated Pres.

WASHINGTON, Dec. 23.-The proposal of Senator Borah, republi- can, Idaho, for an ccc- onic and dis armament conference to De called by President Harding was assailed tonight by Senator Johnson, repub- lican, California. who said in a pub lie statement that the plan would dump into Americas lap the cco- homie ills of Eurone and the repa-. rations muddle."
 Senator Johnson's statement was the outward evidence of breach in the ranks of the Senate "irrecon- cilables' over the Rnrah proposal now pending on an amendment to the naval appropriation bill. Sena- tors Borah and Johnson were stead fast allies throughout the long fight against the League of Nations and on many other questions of for eign and domestic policy they have acted together. Others of the "irre- concilableo group were reported to- night to De opposed to Senator Borah's amendment, which is to come before the Senate when it re. assemblies next Wednesday, and Senator Johnson's public attack was interpreted as meaning at least that Senator Borah had not consulted with his colleagues before offering the proposal.
 Harding Attitude Unknown
 The administration attitude to- ward the amendment has nor been discloseu, but Senate republican leaders are expected to confer with President Harding before 1t comes to vote. Senator Watson. republican, Indiana. discussed the amendment with the President today but said he did not learn MT Hardlng's posi- ton. After his White House visit, however, the Indiana Senator said he would not support the amendment in it's present form, but would favor reservations declaring against can oeling Europe's debts to America have said privately they believe a country would beSimpractical.
 The democratic position on the plan also Is in the making. Most of the democrats have been expected d to give II their support although some have said privately they believed an European economic conference in this country. would be impractical.
 In other quarters the plan is as- sailed as .indorsement of the demo- %. A s.; operation in European settlements"
 Long Discussion Predicted
 / Prolonged discussion of the Borah and similar amendments is predicted ,eneally. Senator King, demo- crat, Utah. has a conference amend ment pending and the bill contains House provision requesting the President to call another naval limitation conference to deal with small vessels and aircraft not reg ulated by the Washington naval treaty
 The statement issued by Senator Johnson tonight declared that what Senator Borah had proposed was in reality an '.abandonnaent of the tra- ditional policy of America"
 An economic barley" said Senator Johnson, -of necessity must consider not only present conditions in Eu- rope but the debts due to us. and. ot course the reparations due from Gernahy Were we to Invite the interested nations to discuss these subjects ip order to arrive at under standings and agreements with z mental reservation not to take part In the ultimate solution, we would be guilty of a species of bad faith of which America has never been guilty and which Americans never can tolerate,
 Would Re Honor Bound
 If we bring the nations of the earth here to Washington for such a conference we will dump into Amer ica's lap the economic ills of Europe and the reparations muddle. If, of ficially, we sit down with the other nations who meet at our invitation and reach an understanding and agreement we are in honor bouAd to carry ou. and execute that agreement and the very instant we undertake to carry out any agreement to enforce reparatiens that instant we abandon the traditional policy of America. We |. become part of the European l scheme of things and we enter upon that course from which we have SC recently escaped and which our peo- pie so overwhelmingly repudiated.
 -rrhe difference is the difference be. 4th nf larr