The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1922-03-02
REAL FIGHT NOW
FOur-POWer Treaty to Test Con-
ference Powers.
Senate Faced SquareIy With
Pacific Pact Action.
HITCHCOCK FIRES FIRST GUN
Ranking Democrat Says He
Can't Support Measure.
Calls Conference of Harding's
~MOre Secret Diplomacy"

Washington. March e.-Senator
Hitchcock of Nebraska, ranking
Democrat OF the senate foreign rela,
tons committee, declared in an ad
dress to the senate today, opening de
bate on the four-power Pacifi,
treaty, that he could not support Il
unless amendments or reservation:
were adopted TO meet his objections
Attacks Secret Diplomacy"
Senator Hitchcock. opening1the dis
cussion because he expects to be abb
sent a few days later. attacked what
he described as the secrecy with which
the four power treaty was negotiated.
He declared he had voted for rati-
fcation of the Zap treaty yesterday
and would support the naval and Chi
nese treaty.
But have reluctantly come to the
conclusion that I cannot vote for the
ratification of the four power treaty
unless changes are made by amend
ment or reservations are adopted to
have certain objections removed" he
added.
Says Public Doesn't Want It.
This treaty was conceived in Sc
crecy and its genius suggests an old
fashioned and highly Objectionable
alliance"
The four-power treaty. Senator
Hitchcock said. was not in the arms
conference call or on the agenda.
The public never looked for nor
anticipated this treaty this seems to
me rather significant" said the sena-
tor. adding that no notes or minutes
or memoranda were kept by the dele
gation and their meetings. he said.
were behind closed DOORS with no
communicates given out
Everything was done to keep pub
lie attention fixed on the naval nego-
riafionE Chinese tariff and other mat
ters. where there was a month of Sc
cret meetings in this treaty" he said
First Impulse to Support 1t.
Despite this. he continued. the first
impulse was to support the treaty.
My first shock was to learn that
the president, who issued the call for
the conference did not understand the
treaty and had not learned of the Sc
cret agreement between the negotia-
tors regarding the inclusion of the
braska senator, who said that these
had been ''cured" by the latter treaty
of definition.
t. eaty Is Crucial Test.
Senator Hitchcock said he was 'in-
nocent enough to believe that his reso-
luton calling up president for infor-
nation would give results
The real fight over the armament
conference treaty was in full Swing
today in the senate. !
Inc Iour-poWer Pacific treaty stared |
administration leaders in the face as
the crucial test of their ability to Sc
cure the senate's endorsement of all |
decisions reached by the conference. |
They anticipated a long bitter strug- (,
gle with a flood of proposed reserva- |
tons which would put their tactical /
resources to a severe test. Bet they /
said that with the assistance of Sena- 4
tor Underwood, the Democratic leader, |
they entertained no doubt that the /
ult- mate result would be ratified.
By first pursuing the line of the /
most resistance, Senator Lodge said /
that once the Pacific pact was ratified |
he was confident that a favorable dis
position of the other treaties would be
a comparatively easy task.