Evening star., 1925-01-20
PRESIDENT HOLDS
PARIS AGREEMENT
NOW CLOSED|SSUE
Hughes Statement Denying
Involvement of u. S. Rated
Quietus on Opponents.
B0RAH, NOT SATISFIED,
ASKS DOCUMENT ITSELF
Joins Johnson in Calling for Copy
of Accord-Hopes Europe Takes
SecretaTy's View

The Hughes statement denying
that the Paris agreement involved the
United States in European commit
ments Is held by President Coolidge
to cover the issue which has ,been
raised by the irreconcilable group IN
the Senate.
The President holds no commit
ments were undertaken by the United
States under the settlement, and that
Secretary Hughes has made clear the
whole question. All that remains. tn.
President feels, can be considered a
unimportant gossip.
Sees Issue ns Closed.
Mr.. Coolidge previously has ind
Gated that he regards the Paris set
tIement as fair to the United States
in that it recognized the business Il
American claims for war damaGe.
and imposed no obliga tions beyol.
the recovery of payments
The impression given at the VIII
House today was that the Preside
is disposed to look upon the Hug,
statement as closing the matter.
Borah Not Satisfied.
Secretary Hughes declaration 1
the Paris reparatfons agreement
left the United States as free Of Eur
pean involyements as il ever was Iii.
not lessened the desire OF Senate ii
reconcilabIes to study the -documsl
for themselves and lay their ccurs
on the basis of their own conclusions
Chairman Borah Of the Senat
foreign relations committee ha
Joined Senator Johnson. Republican
of California, author Of the resolution
calling for copy of the agreemeut
in comment on the Secretary's state
ment, showing that they still Pur-
pose to press an inquiry into tI
whole subject.
Awaits Document ItseI'.
Characterizing Mr. Hughes. stat
ment as a very positive one, whis.
! he hoped would be '.il1umiu4t.ns
! reading abroad" Senator Borah
i agreed with Senator Johnson that it
was in direct conflict with the views
| expressed by foreign statesmen. The
! Idaho Senator added that he could say
| nothing more until the document was
| in hand for careful study"
| In view Of Secretary Hughes an
nounced intention Of making public
| the entire agreement when 1t reaches
! the State Department. the Johnson
/ resolution, now merely calling for
/ copy of the agreement, may be broad
| ened IN its scope when il is taken up
! by the foreign relations committee.
The resolution probably viii be
| taken up by the committee tomorrow,
/ with a view to an early 1aNora bic
/ report to the Senate. Whatever form
! il finally takes. the matter is expected
| to provoke not a little senatorial fire
/ works between now and the end Of
| the session.
/ Supported by Coolidge.
/ Mr.. Hughes statement was issued
| Yesterday after President Coolidge
! had given it his approval and after
/ he had been advised of all the angles
! in the controversy.
1T is in direct conflict with the
views expressed by the minister Of
finance for France. Winston Churchill
| of Great Britain and others. 1t vii
be interesting, and I trust, illuminat-
! ing reading abroad" said Mr.. Borah.
! 1T is exceedingly gratifying 70
have the Secretary of States con-
struction of the transaction. ] can
not say more until the full document
and the full report (of the State De
partmeut) reaches us for careful
study"
Hopes Hughes Is Right.
Senator Johnson issued this state
ment:
americans will he very glad 70
learn from Mr.. Hughes statement
that what has occurred at Paris dur
ing the past week puts the United
States under no obligation legally or
morally.
Unfortunately, responsible parties
in every foreign signatory country
| take directly contrary view. II Is
exultfngly proclaimed abroad that
| America has finally become a party
to the European situation, and is now
one of the guarantors Of the Dawes
plan and the payment of reparations.
Il hope that Secretary Hughes IS
ght and that all European states
lmen are wrong. Only the facts and
all the facts will clarity the atmos-
lphere and reassure cur people