The Birmingham age-herald., 1922-03-12


 I of the proposed reservations and tn, l treaty was laid temporarily asid, without action. Senator Lodge 0 | Ma massachusetts,, the republican leader announced, however, that on Monda! 1 he would attempt to secure an agree ment for time for voting, ant should he fail, would hold the Sen ate to Tong sessions" until the de ! bate had worn itself out.
 Although they cared to make nt numerical estimates the republican and democratic floor leaders both re mained confident tonight that nt 1 reservation except that drawn by thu foreign relations committee would b, adopted and that the treaty would have a safe majority on the ratifica- ton roll call. They declared thai more than the necessary two-third; had pledged themselves to sup. port it.
 Alliance Cancellation Demanded Senator Robinson said it appeared well understood that ending of tn, Anglo-Japanes alliance actually was on the conference program. MT Underwood replied that this was not quite true, but that before the con ference American newspapers gen orally had demanded that, before America should enter any agreement to scrap or reduce it's navy. the al liance should be cancelled.
 "The first information to me thai something else was proposed to takt it's place." Senator Underwood con. tinued, "came after the American delegation met"
 n | if the American people understood 1 that an alliance was contemplated be tween the four powers they would have approved of the treaty and oi the secret negotiations That is what this treaty does" Senator Un. | derwood replied. "Outside of a cer. ! tain faction in this country, tht i American people approve this treaty i because 1t means peace. If the peo- 1 pie had known during the negotia | tions that they were going to get rit of menace I believe they would have approved 1t then as they approve i it now"
 Senator Robinson 3aid his question had not been understood and said tn, fundamental question was whether the treaty constitutes an alliance oi not.
 Not nm Alliance | T don't think this is an alliance, Senator Underwood replied. If thu American people thought it was ar alliance to keep the peace and avoit ] danger that has been threatening us in the Pacific for a quarter of q century, the American people woulC have approved of the course of the negotiations to cancel an alliance against us.
 But I don't admit that this is ar alliance.r
 'If it's not an alliance what is it?' Senator Robinson pressed
 There is a great difference be. tween an alliance and a compact. Senator Underwood replied, stating that the former was a binding agreement" to follow certain course. generally of force and arms entail an obligation binding upon the powers as to what course they should follow when meeting at . conferenct table.
 This agreement did not bind any. body" Senator Underwood continued Tt leaves all free to act when they take their place at the conference table. The unanimous consent of all must be obtained to any course.- Senator Robinson challenged ths question of unanimity and cited tha, different construction had beer placed by the Senate upon similar terms in the Versailles treaty. Sem ator Robinson asked if Mir. Under wood had any objections to a reser. vation explicitly requiring unani. nous consent action.
 No Change Necessary
 Tt is not necessary" said Senator Underwood. q will say candidly that I would regret if these treaties should be changed. I think the posi- tion that this government occupies before the world because of the re- jection of the Versailles treaty i, most unfortunate. There Is doubt ir minds of other governments whether the United States can make an agree ment and be bound by it. But think I will not stand in the way of any treaty's terms"
 Should there be an act of aggres- sion by an outside power and a con ference be called" said Senator Rob inson, the first question to be an swered would be by what means the situation would be met. The answer of course, would be war. No one would think of answering an act of aggression any other way. If one party decides it is not sufficiently strong to repel the aggression alone. what is the result? That two or more join their forces Of course this country could not so to war without declaration of war by Congress, but nevertheless the purpose of this agreement is to give to each of the nations the strength of all in the Pa cific-'
 Conference Was Open
 Questioned again about the manner in which the treaty was negotiated, Senator Underwood declared that there was no secrecy" adding that no conference in the history of the world ever had been conducted so openly He added that one of the greatest compliments that had been paid the four power treaty was that opposition senators had been driven away from the merits of the treaty