The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1925-10-21
BAT TIE ON
WORLD
COURT
Majority for U. s. Entrance
Claimed in Senate. But
Opposition Is Strong

While the United States is not
in any way linked up with the
Locarno security pacts, they never
theless bid fair today to inject
themselves prominently into SEN
ate debate before the forthcoming
session is q fortnight old.
Al remarkable division Of opin-
ion has cropped up among mem
bers of the Senate as to whether
the conclusion Of these treaties
by all Of the principal nations Of
Europe should hasten or retard
American entrance to the world
court, organized at Geneva under
the League of Nations.
On In Eight Weeks
The long-deferred court fight is
less than eight weeks away, and
already the opposing factions are
beginning to marshal their forces
1T promises to be a bitter Ight--a
small edition of the league fight.
Oddly enough both sides are
planning to use the Locarno peace
pacts as argument for their cause.
The court advocates. who include
most of the Democrats and a large
number of Republicans, contend
that now that the whole of Europe
has shown its renewed faith in
arbitration of international disputes.
through these treaties. the United
States cannot longer remain out
side the court and appear to be
In the position OF not subscribing
to an international court of arbi-
tration.
One of the spokesman for this
group, Senator Morris Sheppard Cd
of Texas, a league advocate, said
today:
THE Locarno agreements confirm
and strengthen the leadership Of the
League and show it more than ever
to be permanent institution. Argu-
ments against the world court, based
on its alleged weaknesses and in
effectiveness. are shattered by this
latest development. ] feel certain
we will enter the court, and it will
be only a matter of time before we
enter the League.
The anti-court faction, for whom
Senator William E. Borah is the
chief spokesman, reply to these
arguments by asking:
not the nations signing the Locarno
agreements agree to submit dis
putes arising under them to this
same world court? Did they? They
did not. They agreed in matters of
dispute to select their own arbitral
commissions"
They set up a permanent con-
Citation council at Locarno," said
Borah. 1T shows. to my mind,
that the faith of members of the
court in their own creature IL not
so great"
The world court fight is set on
the Senate calendar for December
II. 1t then becomes the unfin-
ished business of the Senate-to
be dealt with until decided.
Minority Leaders Strong.
Court advocates who have polled
the Senate declared today that
fully three-fourths" Of the Senate
are in favor of American entrance
on the original Harding-Hughes
terms. These figures are support
ed, in the main, by Independent
polls.
To this the anti-doubters retort
grimly:
They won't be when we get
through"
Were the opposition headed by
parliamentary fighters of less re-
nown than Senator Borah, Reed of
Missouri, Johnson of California,
Moses of New Hampshire, and
others, 1t would be a comparatively
safe prediction that the United
States would adhere to the court
after a short fight
Yet so formidable is this minority
considered, that the perturbed leaders
today were inclined to admit pri-
vately that American adhesion will
be obtained only after some ex-
tremely savage fighting-and then
probably at the cost of some "clar-
flying reservations" that will mark
far departure from the original
Harding Hughes terms.