The Monmouth inquirer. [volume] (Freehold, N.J.) 1865-1933, 1923-01-04
SEES DEFEAT OF
BORAH PROPOSAL
Republican Leaders viii En-
deavor to Load the Plan
With Notifications.
INTENSE FIGHT NOW AHEAD
Smoot Against Borah Proposal. But
Farm Bloc May Bring Support.
Mccormick Fears for Europe.
Economics Are Serious

Washington. -Administration lead
ers in the senate, it was indicated, are
preparing to mobilize the forces" TO
prevent the passage in its present
form of the Borah amendment to the
naval appropriations bill calling upon
President Harding to. issue an invita-
ton for an international conference
on the world economic situation and
for the further reduction of arma-
/ ants.
Those opposed to the Borah amend
ment received strong support when
senator Smoot, Republican, of Utah,
a member of the World War Funding
Commission, issued a statement in
which he declared against the United
States calling an economic confer
ence. To do so, he pointed out, would
be to disappoint the European nations,
for the reason that the requests which
they would present to this country are
such as this government would be
bound to refuse.
Feeling that the President would be
embarrassed by the authorization
from congress for such conference
at this time, the accredited Republican
spokesmen are now committed to the
strategy of so amending the Borah
proposal that the administration might
regard it as more or less innocuous.
Conferences are scheduled at which
will be outlined the program for the
modification of the proposal for the
economic conference Senator Lodge
of Massachusetts, Republican leader
of the senate; Senator James e. Wat
son, Republican, of Indiana, and Sena-
tor Charles Curtis, Republican, Of
Kansas, will participate in these con-
ferences and when the senate recon
venes they are expected to be ready
with amendments to the Borah resolu-
ton.
What form the amendments will
take was not indicated, but the spokes-
men Of the administration express
confidence that they would be such as
would command the support of a
majority of the senate and leave the
President and Secretary Hughes free
to conduct the American policy of aid
to Europe along the lines already de-
veloped and unhampered by Congress
sional mandate.
Senator Medill Mccormick, Repub-
Hcan, of Illinois, who has just returned
from Europe, issued statement in
which he painted gloomy picture of
the economic situation facing the
European nations. He predicted the
grave events including food riots in
lire, before the end of the winter, I'M
less the World War victors show more
economic wisdom than they have
hitherto exhibited.
The burden of reducing reparations,
of laying the foundation for loan
which would stabilize the mark and
enable Germany to pay the next in
SLdllluGAL u TEL dTdllOuS OcudLOT MIC
Cormick places on the allied powers.
He will throw his strength to the OPP
ponents of an international confer
ence to be sponsored by the United
States Government.
Senator Smoot predicted that the
Borah amendment would be defeated
when the time comes for roll call
on senate sentiment. He said:
Il do not think that the conference
proposed in the amendment to the
navy appropriations bill offered by
Senator Borah would accomplish any
good purpose. We know in advance
what the other nations want and we
are not in position to grant it. If
we called a conference, invited these
nstions here and then, when they
came, turned down their requests, the
situation would not be improved and
the United States would be placed in
a false position. am opposed to it
and / do not think that the amend
ment to the navy bill will be adopted"