New-York tribune., 1922-02-16
Democratic Leader, Ask
ing Harding Be Called
On, Declares Minutes
Omit 4-Power Parlev
Expected TO Cause
Committee Fight
Resolution Interpreted as
Opening Gun of Oppo-
sition on Some Details

PROM f'e 7rtbnNos Washington Ruy.ox
WASHINGTON. Feb. 15.-Scnotor
Hitchcock, of Nebraska. introduced 9
resolution IN the Senate day calling
on the President for the minutes Of
the negotiations. discussions. conversa-
lions and proceedings OF the arms CON
terence in connection with the four
power treaty and its supplementary
note and agreement He also called
for nll drafts and forms considered in
the negotiations
Senator Hitchcocks move is looked
on as preliminary to open opposition
to some features Of the four-power
treaty by a number of the Democrats
he already has said that this treaty
would require careful examination by
the Senate before ratification.
The Senator from Nebraska, former
chairman of the Foreign Relations Com
mlttee, based his action in presenting
resolution on the fact that in the
printed records relating to the recent
armament conference there Is abso-
lrtcly nothing which records the ncro-
uauons or the discussions or debates
which led up to the four-power trcatv."
lie holds that as the four power treaty
IS the most deba atable Of all the treaties
emanating from the conference if is
important that the Senate have infor
nation as to all the proceedings lead
ing up to the agreement. While SEN
ator Hitchcock did not say so. it is
the understanding that he desires TO
get to the bottom of reports that the
four power treaty was drafted bv the
British and other reports that i w"s vms
drafted by the Japanese before the
conference met.
Expect Clash in Committee
In discussing the subject on the floor
Senator Hitchcock held it was of the
more moment to get the data for which
he asked because Of the disagreement
ican delegates as 30 whet the treaty
covered the home land Of Japan.
In the absence OF Senator Lodge. the
Hitchcock resolution went over. SEN
ators Curtis and Moses wanted to re-
fer it to the Foreign Relations Com
mittec. 1t is expected to go there and
not lmprobably to lead to a sharp con-
troversy in the committee In case the
information asked by Senator Hitch
cock is not forthcoming. it is certain
the opponents of the four-power agree
ment will seek to make the most of the
charge of secret diplomacy in the back
GROUND or the four-powcr compact. The
records Of the conference as sent to
the Senate are repIetc with information
on the other treaties and have the
minutes of the committees that took
them up. The four-powcr treaty was
not considered in committee, hence
the lack of committee minutes. The
Hitchcock resolution follows:
Resolved, That the President,
be, and is hereby. requested to :
furnish to the Senate, if not
incompatible with the public in
terest, all drafts or forms presented
to or considered by tho delegates of
the United States, the British En-
pirc Japan or France in considering
the subject Of the four-powcr treaty.
ALSO copies of all proceedings,
records, negotiations, arguments, de-
bates, discussions and conversations
which occurred between the dele
gates Of the United States, tho Brit
ish Empire, Japan or France, or any
of them, covering the subject of the
four power treaty or the supplement-
ary note which accompanied it or the
supplementary agreement relating to
it and subsequently signed"
Calls Report Incomplete
81 had the imprcsson,' says Mr.
Hitchcock, 'whcn the chairman of the
Committee on Foreign Relations, Mr..
Lodge, asked to have certain documents
printed that there would be printed a
full report of the negotiations which
occurred between the American dele
gates and the delegates of France,
Great Britain and japan which led up
to the four-powcr treaty, but q very
careful examination of the records
printed reveals tho fact that there is
absolutely nothing which records the
negotiations or the conversations or
the forms of discussions or debates
which led up to that treaty.
"The large volume which was printed
is divided practically in two parts.
The first part relates to the details Of
the discussion Of the disarmament
treaty and the latter half relates al
most exclusively to discussions of the
Chinese question. There is almost
nothing at all explanatory Of the four
power treaty, which, as we all know,
is the most deba able Of all those pre-
sented. Inasmuch as great interest at
taches to the four-powcr treaty 1t
seems to me there ought not to be any
opposition to laying before tho Senate
the full details of the discussion.
"This is all the more important be-
cause there was an open and notorious
disagreement between the President
and his chief representative upon the
American delegation. the Secretary of
State. Mr.. Hughes, as to the meaning
of the fourpowcr treaty, and that dis
agreement led to some revelations at
the time and finally to supplementary
note explanatory Of the treaty ITSELF"
Eager for Japanese View
Senators who arc calling for fuller
light on the proceedings leading up to
the four-powcr treaty arc expected to
insist that Secretary Hughes and Elihu
Root, as well as Senators Lodge and
Underwood, make statements before
the Foreign Relations Committee CON
cerning the negotiations leading up to
this agreement Senator Hitchcock
made it plain he was especially de-
sirous of finding out what view the
Japanese delegates took Of the four
power treaty in the negotiations.
Poland Forbids the "Sl1inlmv"
WARSAW Feb 15-Thc "shimn,v -