The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1922-02-11
.PACTS TO SENATE
President Lays Seyeh Treaties
BefoFe Ratifying Body.
Asks Immediate Approval as
Instrument of Peace.
ARE NO WAR COMMITMENTS
Harding Declares He Has Tried
for Party Harmony
Especially EndeaVOred to Avoid
EntangIing Alliances.
ARE NO WAR COMMITMENTS

prompt approval of them and assur-
ling the senators, who listened in rapt
tattention, that there is no entangle-
ments, alliances, or Involvement"
which requires the United States to
surrender amy worth while tradition.
| These engagements. the president
! said were interviewer in a general
scheme of peace, and contained moth
ing which commits The United States,
or any other power, to any kind of an
alliance, ENHANCEMENT or involve
ment
Referring to the unratified treaty
of Versailles, Mr.. Harding said it was
drawn in response to a manifest world
hunger for better relationships and
that the treaties submitted today were
drawn in response to the same desire
but without any provision except ito
promote peace"
No War Commitments.
"'The four-power treaty contains no
war commitments" said the president
| There is no commitment to armed
force, no alliance, no written or moral
obligation to join in defense, no ex-
pressed or implied commitment to ar
rive AT any agreement except in ac-
| cordance with our constitutional
methods"
Reviewing briefly the situation in
the far east. the president declared the
| conference by its far eastern agree
ment had "dissipated'' all apprehen-
sion of territorial greed in that quar-
ter, and that senate ratification of the
| far eastern treaties will stabilize
peace for the breaking of which there
is not a shadow of reason or real
excuse.
The five-power naval treaty. he
continued, was in accordance with the
expressed wishes of congress, as CON
ftained in recent legislation, and would
| afford "the first actual relief from
I ma al " nRODleS
been able to acclaim since steam and
steel combined to add TO naval
| strength in warfare"
Either these treaties must have
| your cordial sanction" he said, "or
every proclaimed desire to promote
peace and prevent war becomes a hol-
| low mockery."
Had Bowed to Senate.
Abiding to the senate traditional
aversion against entangling foreign
compartments, Mr.. Harding declared
he had that in mind when he ar
ranged that both Democrats and Re
publicans should be members of
American delegation.
The senate concern for freedom
! from entanglements," he continued,
| for preserved traditions, for main
| tanned independence, was never once
| forgotten by the American delegates.
IF 1 did not believe these treaties
brought US not only new guarantees
=
from conflict, L would not submit
them to your consideration.
| much depends upon your decision
he continued. I'VE have Joined in Civ
ing to the<world the spectacle of
nations gathered about the conference
table, amid the convictions of peace,
free from all passion, to face each
other in the contracts of reason, to
solve menacing problems, and end dis
putes and clear up misunderstood
ings. If to these understandings for
peace, if to these advanced expressions
of the conscience of leading powers,
if to these concords to guard against
conflict and lift the burden of arma-
ment, if to all of these the senate will
not advise and consent, then it will be
| futile to try again.
! I alluded moment ago to my
| knowledge of the viewpoint of the
| senate from personal experience" he
declared. Since that experience I
| have come to know the viewpoint and
| unacceptable responsibilities of the eX-
ecutiye. To the executive comes the
| closer view of the world relationship
and more impressive realization of the
menaces, the anxiety and the appre-
tensions, to be met"
Complete Record of Farley.
Along with the treaties, the presi-
dent submitted to the senate the com
plete minutes of plenary sessions and
committee meetings of the conference,
| together with a. copy of the official
| report made to him by the American
delegation. These documents the
president sa d were fitting testi-
monials to that open and simpler
diplomacy for which the world has
asked
In that sense he added the whole
conference was quite out of the
ordinary
/ Indeed" said Mr.. Harding. 'it was
IL
deliberation and sympathy, appraising
their friendly and peaceful relations
and resolved to maintain them and to
give the world new assurances of
| peace and actual relief from the bur-
/ dens of excessive and competitive
ornaments.
No UnIzind Motives.
| at is not necessary to remind you
/ that the conference work was not di-
r-cted against any power Aor group of
powers. There were no punishments
to inflict, 10 records to bestow. The !
| offerings are. free will; the conscience
| is that of world opinions; the observ-
ance is a matter of national honor"
Asserting that no provision in any
| of the treaties required the United |
States to surrender a single worth |
/ while tradition the president de-
clared it did not follow that the COM
mitmentS entered into were mea ming
! less The aetuating DESIRE he said, !
had been to establish among nations
an agreement of orderly neighboFli- |
ness.''
Hunger For Friendship.
/ ''TheGworld has been hungering for
/ a better relationship for centuries,
since it has attained. its larger con-
sciousness, said Mr.. Harding. '@The |
( conception of the league of nations
1 was a response to a manifest world
| hunger. Whatever its fate, whether it
achieves the great thing hoped for, or
/ comes to supersedure or to failure. the
| American unwiilinCness to be a part
/ of it has been expressed. That unwill-
| ingness has been kept in mind. and
/ the treaties submitted today have no
| semblance or relationship save as the
wish to promote peace has been the
common Inspiration
The president concluded his address