Capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1919-1980, 1922-03-28
OPPOSITION To-
NAVAL. TREATY.
KEEPS SILENT
Leaders See Prospect of
Senate Ratifying Pact
Before Night; Senate
Action Is Quiet

Washington, Mar. 28.-
Hope of the senate taking a
final vote today on the naval
limitation treaty was given
up as the debate proceeded
late in the afternoon, but a
unanimous consent agree
ment to vote on ratification
at 8 p. m. tomorrow was con-
cluded.
Washington, March 2S.-Rapid
progress was made by the senate
today in consideration of the five
power naval treaty and as mid
afternoon passed without the crop
ping out Of such opposition, ad-
ministration leaders began to see
a possibility that the pact might
be ratified before adjournment
tonight.
Starting the reading of the
treaty article by article after an
address mostly explanatory in ma
ture by Senator Lodge of Massa-
chusetts, the senate in the COM
mittee of the whole, gave its ap-
proval to the pact up to the cele-
brated article 10 relating to forti-
fications. At that point there was
temporary halt while Senator
Underwood of Alabama, the demo-
cratic leader and member of the
American delegation, responded to
several questions as to the mean
ing of the treaty provisions.
Ends Competition
"The spectacular thing in this
treaty" said Mr.. Lodge, "is the
scrapping of ships, but the most
important single thing that it
does is to put an end absolutely
to naval competition.
The history of the treaty was
reviewed in detail by the republi-
can leader, who read from the Bo-
rah resolution authorizing the
calling Of an armament confer
ence, explained the preliminary
diplomatic steps and quoted fin
ally the report Of the American
delegation explaining the provis-
ions of the past. The delegation,
he said, had the best technical ad-
vice throughout its deliberations.
Regarding land armament,
Senator Lodge said the United
States had no further reduction
in her own army to propose,
while the attitude of France made
it apparent that there is nothing
more to be done" in that general
direction.
Figures presented recently In
tn esenate by Senator Reed, dem
ocrat, Missouri, in an effort to
show that the celebrated 5-5-3
ratio was not in fact borne out In
the treaty were examined in de-
tail by the Massachusetts senator,
who declared there was no foun-
dation whatever for such a
charge.
The treaty provisions, he as
serted, carried out precisely the
ratio and the policies that had
been decided on and announced
to the world previously.
The Massachusetts senator said
that probably the greatest of the
controversies in the conference
was that originating in the 5-5-3
ratio which finally was accepted.
He told the senate that Japan
had yielded to 1t only reluctant
ly" and that therefore the basis
was one all the more to be val
ued.
Discussing the ratio further,
Mr.. Lodge declared that France
had been treated much more gen
erously" by the 5-5-3 ratio than
she would have been had the ba-
sis of the ship ratio been taken
from the present relationship of
tonnage. Under the existing ton
mage comparison, he added,
France would have had only one
ship to Americas four, while un-
der the conference ratio she is
given one to two in the American
navy.
Replying to questions as to the
reason for Japan's contention for
the Mutsu, Mr.. Lodge said that
the vessel was one built largely
from popular subscription and
there was sentiment that attach
ed to the boat, much the same
as If it had been in America by
the same means"
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