Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1922-02-11
UNDERWOOD CLAIMS
SENATE WILL 0. X.
ARMS MEET PACTS
Administration Delighted at
! Support Of Albanian,
Democrats at Loss as to
Course as Yet

WASHINGTON, Feb. Ex-senator
Underwood today dispelled lingering
hopes of some Democratic senators
that he would give only perfunctory
help in the ratification of the Grea-
ties resulting from the arms con-
ference.
Expressing his enthusiasm for the
entire program, Senator Underwood
predicted, all the treaties Wouio De
ratified with many votes TO spare
Propesed reservations, he foresaW'
4 will get at most a dozen Repupllcsa.H
and an equal number OF Democratlc
votes-less than half enough 10
adopt them.
Mr.. Underwood is not only going
to sign the report OF the American
delegation of which he was mem
ber,5 but he regards that report as
all the explanation any senator OF
citizen needs to assure him tnat the
work of the conference is entltled
to support. Seldom has the Ala
bama senator displayed SO mucn en-
thusiasm as that which marked MS
comment on the report winch ne anu
his colleagues have prepared LOT
President Harding.
Administration Pleased.
Administration leaders are mucn
pleased at Mr.. TUnderWoods Wnole-
hearted support; at the same TINE
some of the Democratic colleagues
are f1fspleased and disquieted. While
there is as yet no organized Demo
Graf opposition to the treaties and
may never be any, some Democrats
think Senator Underwood. as the
party leader, should not commit him.
self completely to the support or a
program framed almost entirely by
the opposing party.
Democrats who resented Mr.. I'm
derwood's acceptance Of place on
the American delegation again are
tuning with Impotence over his un-
qualified Endorsement Of the CONFER
enee and its results.
Some Of them have turned towards
Woodrow Wilson for guidance. But
Mr.. Wilson'S closest, friends in the
senate said the former president will
not say word about the treaties or
make. any effort to influence or guide
senate Democrats.
"The delegations report to the
president is complete, and so clearly
sets forth not only. the action of the
conference but the reason for every
thing that was done, that it forms
the best explanation that could be
given said Mr.. Underwood.
No Need for Reservations
Regarding reservations, he assert.
ed none are needed to- safeguard
American rights. The four-power
pact which some regard now as sane
tioning the use of force, is entirely
free of any obligation on the United
States in that regard, Senator Under
wood said.
Senators Borah and Johnson in,
tend to ask for the confidential re-
ports of the experts,S in addition to
the minutes of the committee meet
ings. which will be furnished. Mr..
Johnson is to take a leading part in
discussion of the four-power Pacific
treaty. while Mr.. Borah will handle
the Chinese pacts, on behalf of the
little group of Republican "irrecon-
cilables."
NO DECISION REACHED
ON SCRAPPING OF SHIPS
WASHINGTON, Feb. 9.-(By the
Associated Press.) - Administration
officials are undecided as yet as to-
suggestions that veteran battleship
OF the fleet to be scrapped under the
naval liIl1ita tion4 treaty be sunk at
sea with full military honors to-
symbolic ratification , of the pact
which will end competitive navy
building among the five great naval
powers. The idea is known to have
appealed to some high officers of the
government as a fitting tribute to
the old battle craft. It has impress
ed other officials as an undesirable
and impractical course, however, and
final decision probably will not be
reached until the full program of
disposing of scrapped battleships
has been worked out in detail by
TECHNICAL experts.
In any case, one Of the ships
destined to be destroyed probably
will be sent to the bottom by gun
fire. The pre-dreadfiaugh Iowa.
now equipped for distant control by
radio and successfully tried out in
aircraft maneuvers incident to sink.
ing of former German craft last
year, is to be sunk by the fire of
the fleet some time this spring. She
! was equipped for that purpose, to
/ be shot at as a moving, maneuver-
ing target at sea, before the Wash
ington conference placed her among
the WORKOUT craft to be scrapped by
the United States in reducing the
fleet to treaty limits