Evening star., 1922-03-26
FOES CHALLENGE
SENATE SANCTION
OF 4-P0WER PACT
New Snarl Develops as Op-
ponents Open Fire on
Two Supplements.
ADMINISTRATION LEADERS
ALTER PLAN OF ACTION
Drafting Separate Resolution Of
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Issue Brought Up.

The four-power Pacific treaty and
Its two supplements got into such a
miN-up in the Senate yesterday that
the administration ratification pro-
gram temporarily was tied in knot
and the leaders hurried into confer
.eace to draw up a new plan of cam
tIaign.
challenging the validity of Friday s
action by which the four-power pact
itself was ratified. opponents of the
ftreaty suggested that the vote be
ireconsidered so that the ratification
! tcould include the supplementary in
terpretative agreement signed by the
plenipotentiaries at the same time.
Further Action Advisable.
At first the administration leaders
refused to recognize any merit in the
suggestion, but after several con-
ferences they decided that some fur
ther action was advisable. Most of
them opposed the reconsideration
plan, proposing instead' a separate
ratification vote on the supplement.
fication was in process of drafting
when the Senate adjourned.
Throughout the days debate the
ttreaty opponents sought to give point
to their arguments by emphasizing
THAT the supplement deals with issues
(which long have been sources of fric-
ition between the United States and
Japan. 1t declares it to be the under
standing of, the signatories that the
treaty shall apply to inundated is
lands in the Pacific and that purely
domestic questions shall not be
brought before the four-power con-
ference for Consideration and adjust
ment.''
immigration Bosey Hovers.
Many times in the debate the ques-
ton of Japanese immigration into the
United States was mentioned as
domestic American Question which
might be a fruitful source of trou-
BILE, senators on both sides agree
ing that no doubt ought to be left
that the American government retains
full power to deal with the subject as
1t sees fit. Those who asked for
reconsideration contended that unless
the validity of the supplement were
established clearly Japan might
claim the privilege of referring the
whole immigration problem of the
Pacific coast to a meeting Of the pow
ers.
Meantime the business actually be-
fore the Senate was a second supple
meRt to the four-power pact. signed
two months later than the first, and
so defining the geographical scope of
the pact as not to include the home
land of Japan.
Hitchcock Takes Lead.
AS soon as it was called up at the
outset of the session. Senator Robin
son, democrat, Arkansas. offered an
amendment to exclude also the Island
of Sakhalin, but neither the geo.
graphical supplement nor the pro-
posed amendment to it was mentioned
thereafter in the days debate. Late
in the day, when debate on the do
mestic issues supplement had died
down, Senator Ransdell, democrat,
Louisiana. took the floor and occu-
pied the remainder of the session with
a speech supporting the naval treaty
and advocating an efficient merchant
marine.
Senator Hitchcock Of Nebraska, rank
ing democratic member of the foreign
relations committee. took the lead in
demanding Senate action on the domes-
tic issues supplement and in challenging
af L,x
iSenate Friday ratified the four-power
.treaty. The supplement, Senator Hitch
scock contended, was either a proper
part of the treaty and required Senate
:approvai, or else it was not binding and
left the problem Of domestic issues in a
dangerous" situation. He recalled that
before yesterdays vote he tried without
success to get the supplement included
in the ratification resolution.
Democrats Rally About Him.
Senators Pittman. democrat, Nevada;
Swanson. democrat. Virginia; Robinson.
democrat, Arkansas, and others, Mr..
Swanson declaring that to reconsider
the treaty vote and include action on
the supplement 'is the only way this
government can get a guarantee that
the immigration question is not to be
within the scope Of this treaty." Sew
arral times they raised again the ques-
lion of why the supplement, signed at
the same time as the treaty, was not
included in the body of the treaty it,
self.
Senator Lodge of Massachusetts,, the
republican leader and an arms con-
ference delegate. maintained that the
declaratory supplement was not in
fact a part of the treaty and did not
require Senate approval. He des-
scribed it as merely an Interpretation
pf the treaty by the signatory gov
ernments, and asserted that even il
it didn't exist, domestic questions
never could be brought within the
scope of the four-power arrange
ment.
Lodge Alone Faces Fire.
Several republicans, including Sem
ator Lenroot of Wisconsin, backed up
the position of Senator Lodge, but
for the most part the treaty sup
porters made no attempt to reply in
detail to the arguments of Senator
.Conunued on Page :, Column 81