The Birmingham age-herald., 1922-03-12
STRONGLY UPHOLDS TREATY IN ATTACK
 FROM DEMOCRATS
Representative Duel RagesBe- tween Alabama and Arkan- Sas Senator After Read-
 ing of Hughes Letter
By Associated Press

Washington, March 1.-The four power Pacific treaty, its purposes and possibilities, and the manner of its negotiation, passed through an- other spectacular combat of argu- ment and oratory today on the floor of the Senate.
 Throughout tho battle of wits tho burden of defense was carried by Senator Underwood of Alabama, tho democratic floor leader and a msn- Der of ths American delegation to the arms conference. Rngsd by enc mics of the treaty, largely of his own party. tho minority leader stood for three hours in his place In the center of the chamber and replied in kind to the thrusts directed at him.
 Reads Hughes Letter
 Among the weapons of Rrguments used by tho Alabama senator was lettor written to him by Secretary Hughes, head of ths American con- ference plsnipotentiaries. replying to charges that the treaty resulted from a BritiAh-Japanese plan to allay tho endorsements of tho Anglo-Japa- nsss alliance. Mir. Hughes asserted that he himself had prepared . draft of the treaty after consultation with the other delegates and that. with minor changes it became the final text as signod and submitted to the Senate for ratification
 The state department secretary further declared there was not the slightest mystery about the treaty or basis of suspicion about 1t. He de- scribed It as "a straightforward docu- ment which attains one of the most important objects tho American gov ernment has had in view of the high est importance to the maintenance of friendly relations in the far eas upon sound basis"
 In view of this and in view of the relation of this treaty to the result. of the conference" concluded MT, Hughes, fits failure would be nothing short of & national calamity" Duel Rages For Hour
 The argumentative duel which fol- lowed the reading hy Sea,tpr tIpder- wood of the secretary'e lettsr. and which interposed itself in the sena- tors prepared address. was fought for an hour between the speaker and Senator Robinson, democrat. Arkan- sas, who originally had raised the question of the origin of the treaty and who declared that the ssoretary's letter had not dispelled evidences that the four-power arrangement was iu- spired from London and Tokio. Other democrats then Joined In the ques- tlonlng of their party leader, includ- ing Senator Reed, of Missouri Glass, of Virginia, Walsh of Montana, and Watson of Georgia. From tho re- publican side of the chamber their Borah of Idaho and France Of Mary land.
 His support of tho treaty, Senator Underwood said, was actuated by the same spirit that prompted him 10 vot9 for the treaty of Versailles with it's League of Nations. He declared no alliance was contemplated, but added that he could see no objection even to an alliance If 1t were based on arbitration rather than force and ef- faced dangers that threaten Ameri- can interests in the Pacific To -s- jeot the pact because 1t does not bind the signatories to employ force. he g. serted. would be to revert to tho re- dictionary philosophy of the past
 Secrecy Conceded
 Tho democratic leader conceded that the negotiations leading up to the treaty were "carried on in secre- oy," but argued that such a course was necessary in view of tho pecu- liar circumstances surrounding the efforts of the American delegation
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