Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-02-16
SENATE ASKS FACTS
ON 4-POWER TREATY
Calls on President for lnforma-
ton Regarding lts Me-
gotiation
LODGE YIELDS HIS ASSENT
By the Associated Press

Washington. Feb. 16.--The resolution
asking President Harding for null in
formation regarding the negotiations OF
the four Power Pacific treaty wac
adopted by the Senate today after a
debate in which the Arms Conference
! policies were discussed generally for the
| first time on tue Senate floor.
! Republican and Democratic leaders
united in support of the resolution after
its author, Senator Hitchcock, had mad,
some minor changes in phraseology. II
was adopted without record vote. al
though several Senators had declared IN
the debate that they opposed It because
Of the bad public policy" involved in
| sending such request to the White
House.
Senators Lodge and Underwood. both
Of whom were members Of the American
delegation to tn conference. during the
debate preceding adoption Of the rcso.
luton declared there was nothing to
conceal.
Senator Lodge Satisfied
Senator Hitchcock $ suggested amend =
ment changed the phraseology of the
resolution only in minor respects. and
Senator Lodge announced the revised
version was satisfactory TO him.
Il think it is only fair to say" added
Mr.. Lodge, that many things are asked
for there, in the form of memoranda
and minutes, which have no existence
rs written documents.
Il hope the Senator is mistaken re-
piled Senator Hitchcock. 1T would
be amazing that this treaty. which, ac.
cord!ng to the President himself, is the
outstanding compact for peace in the
Pacific, should have been concluded
without similar minures to those which
were deemed necessary in the consid-
GRAFTON of the much less important
treaties relating to China. At least this
resolution when sent to the President
will develop the exact situation. and
trust will throw some light on the de-
batable questions involved in construc-
ton of the treaty
Senator kellogg, Of Minnesota. op.
posed the resolution. declaring that If
American plenipotentiaries couldn' t
conduct conversations without n ste
nograrher. following them around he
didn't think their efforts ever would get
very far. Senator Williams. Of Missis-
sippi, also opposed it because he thought
It was bad public policy.
Underwood for Full Publicity
Taking up the discussion in favor OF
adoption, Senator Underwood said he
agreed with Senator Williams that the
policy was bad. but he was willing to
vote for the resolution because he
wanted full publicity about what hap
pened in the Conference.
The discussion in reference to the
four. Power Treaty. continued Sem
ator Underwo ood. was really not so
much a discussion of that treaty as it
was a discussion of the Japanese Eng
lish alliance. 1t undoubtedly was the
purpose of the American delegation from
the time the naval negotiations began
to secure cancellation of the alliance.
That was not question that could
be discussed in open negotiations. We
couldn't say to Japan and England We
wish you to cancel this alliance. there.
fore what took place was private con-
sultations.
1T developed in those consultations
that the alliance could not be Cancelled
without something being put into it's
place. When 1t was agreed that the
five Powers would respect their re-
spective rights in the Pacific. the bal.
ance was merely a matter of drafting.
The American delegation did discuss it
from time to time, but 1t was not dis
cussed in the committees.