Evening star., 1922-12-27

eaCreS by tho Turks IN Asia Minor.
Senator Lodge read the text of the
Borah proposal and said:
Too Broadly Drawn.
1T is broadly drawn. 1t has no
boundaries. 1t seems to ne that il
we are to consider it at ali for action
here in the Senate We ought to know
before we do il exactly what powers
the proposed conference is to have
and just what II means. AS the
amendment is written there is
nothing to prevent the consideration
by the conference of the debts owed
by foreign nations TO the United
States. 1t is true that Congress has
provided for the payment of those
debts by law. But il a treaty were
negotiated 1t would override the law
of Congress"
Does the senator mean that the
negotiation Of a treaty would over
ride a law OF Congress without its
submission TO Congress-" demanded
Senator Borah.
',oh. Of course. the treaty would have
TO be rat fled" replied Senator Lodgc.
But we would summon the con-
ference. and we ought to tell the ma
tions invited just what we will ac
cede to and what we will not accede
to. We should say just what we
mean.
1T seems to me that the debts due
to the United States should be ex-
cluded from the matters which might
be considered at the proposed con-
ference. and that the United States
should deal with this subject of the
debts alone. I do not believe that the
fate of these debts should be settled
by other powers.
should Make Stand Clear.
Under the powers OF this confer
ence we should be called upon to
take part. perhaps, in the work OF
the reparations commission. We seek
no reparations. But If the question
of reparations were called up and
We entered upon n revision Of the
reparations we might he asked TO
take part in 4 revision of the treaty
Of Versailles. We should make it
clear to the nations how we stand
in regard to this matter.
Such a conference probably would
have power to consider advances OF
large sums of money by the United
States to help Germany or France. ]
do not know how far the Senate feels
| 1t should consent to such loans. hut
IL we are to propose such a confer
ence there should be some distinct
, statement of our attitude in this mat
ter.
There arc many other questions in
volved, possibly. in such a confer
| ence. How far are We TO he called
| perhaps Russia? I am not arguing
! the merits OF these questions. but
merely suggesting that we should
know how far we are going and what
we propose to do. 1t is easy enough
| to say Let's have an economic con-
ference but when the nations are
gathered II is "A serious matter and
there should be no misunderstanding
on the part of the nations of our at
titude before we go into conference"
! many questions which inevitably
would come before the conference.
THE question of immigration" he
, said. could not be kept out. I am
not willing" he added with emphasIa.
Ito have y go before the conference
at ALL"
Continuing. he said nobody can
tell where the scope of the confer
ence would end. Tho Senate should
consider this prospect with care be-
fore acting. There is also the en-
barrassment of interfering with the
Presidents plans: tho Senate does not
know what the President has done.
all that the Senate knows is that he
Is as desirous as any one could be
to improve economic conditions in
Europe.
we ought to set forth very care
fully" said Senator Lodge, what We
mean in this amendment. IL IL is to
be adopted. My own belief is that
the United States can be of greater
| service to humanity by holding itself
| free from obligation which would
bind IL to action 1t might not he
| willing to take when the time came"
Other Nations Collected.
Speaking for himself he said he could
not state precisely what the United
States could do in an economic con-
ference He had no word Of reflection
upon other countries which had suf
tered and sacrificed SO much for all.
but, he said, they had all received ad-
vantages upon the conclusion OF the
war. They have taken over immense
| territories in Africa, Asia Minor; they
have rid themselves for some years from
(Continued on page ;. column ~