The daily banner. (Cambridge, Md.) 1897-2008, 1922-12-28
LODGE OPPOSES
new ARMS PARLEi
Project For International Eco.
nOmic Conference Useless.
FIGHT OPENS IN SENATE
Senator Declares it Would Be Fruit.
less to Discuss Further Armament
Reduction Unless France changes
Her Policy.


Reduction Unless France Changes
Her Policy.
Washington, Dec. 2S.-Administra
tion senators. under the lead of Sena
tor Lodge, Republican, of Massachu'
setts, chairman of the foreign rela'
tons committee, began in the senate
q determined fight against the propo
sal of Senator Borah, Republican, OF
Idaho, for a new international con
ference in Washington to discuss eco
monte conditions and disarmament.
The Republican leader recountec
the difficulties of further armament
limitation, encountered at the Wash
ington arms conference a year ago
He declared, in view Of the attitude
taken by other powers, it would be
useless to attempt to limit land arma
mentS, unless 1t were established tha'
France had changed her position.
Before the senate reconvened aftel
the Christmas holiday, more than
score of Republican senators, In In
formal conference, decided to Oppose
the Borah proposal.
Meantime q definite break had de
veloped within the ranks of the senate
''irreconcilable" group, Of which Sena
tor Borah has been leader since the
League of Nations fight, Senator John
son, Republican, California, and Others
took the position conference suci
as that proposed would embroil the
United States hopelessly in European
politics.
Senator Lodge, who was said by his
colleagues to have aScertained the
views Of President Harding and his
advisers, opened his attack as soon as
the senate began work on the Boral
proposal. 1t Is in the form of al
amendment to the naval appropria
tons bill, and would request the presi
dent to call an economic and arms
conference. :
Reviewing the work OF the Wash
ington conference, the Republican
leader recalled the then premier OF
France, NJ. BRAND, had told the con
ference France could not consent tt
any limitation of land armament.
"Of course, that put an end to any
further action by the conference Oh
the question Of land armament" sail
Senator Lodge, because no actor
could be taken except by unanimous
agreement France may have changed
her attitude within the year, but il
so 1 have no information to that Ell
feet.
ut would be useless to call con
ference of land armament without
knowing France was ready to with
draw her objection. It would be flu
tile unless it was known the Other
powers We're not going to object a
the very beginning"
Turning to the provision In the ma
val bill as passed by the house, fol
a move to limit the building of nava
vessels of 10000 tons and less, Sena
tor Lodge pointed out the Washing
ton conference twas unable to do tina
because of the objections of France
and other powers"
The American delegation presented
a complete plan for limitation for al
auxiliary types, he said, but M. Briant
notified Secretary of State Hughes i
would be impossible for France tt
accept a reduction Of such craft, II
view of the sentiment OF her people
and of her legislators.
Great Britain then proposed aboli
ton of the use of submarines, he con
tinued, but to this all of the othe,
powers objected. The only thing the
United States could do was to bring
about a limitation Of the calibre O.
guns on craft below 10000 tons.
The Massachusetts, senator pointed
out France and Italy alone Of thu
powers participating in the arms con
ference had failed to ratify the result
ing treaties, and added:
81 hope and I believe France will
ratify the treaties Of Washington IL
a short time"
Declaring he was without informa
ton as to whether France, Holland
Japan, and Italy, which had objected
to limiting small naval craft, wer
now ready to consider 1t, Senator
Lodge continued:
Gas in the case Of land armament
1t would be perfectly idle to take thu
responsibility of calling a conference
to consider limitations rejected onl.
q year ago, unless we had the assur
ance from the powers invited tina
they were ready to consider limita
tions. 1t would not do any harm, ex
cept to put us in an absurd position
but it certainly would not do an.
good"