Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1925-12-20
PRESIDENT FINDS
LEAGUE PARLEY BID
KNOTTy PROBLEM
Opposition to Acceptance
Manifest-Congress Assent
Likely to Be Asked.
POWER OF COOLIDGE
TO ACT UNQUESTIONED
Entrance of Russia Adds Comph-
cation-Col. House Confers
With Chief Executive.
EY G.. GOULD LINCOLN.


Tho administration Yesterday buck
,ed down to a consideration of the IN
>iration extended to this country by
thu council Of the League OF Natiohs
t. participate in the preparation OF
preliminary plans for disarmament
conference As a matter of tact the
tnvitation presents a knotty problem.
The United States, as is well rec
ognized. is anxious to do all IN It's
power 10 aid any movement that looks
toward real peace.
At the same time. it Is just as well
recognized that the United States Is
bent upon remaining free from en-
tan.lement in the political arrange
ments of the nations Of Europe, and
free from direct connection with such
security pactS as those nations may
deem essential.
Position Questioned.
What will be the position OF the
United states should it take part In a
conference abroad at which security
pacts are to be drafted as a possible
sine qua non to limitation of arma
mcnts, was a question asked in sena
torial quarters last night.
It is pretty welf established from
Europe further security treaties must
be made-similar in many respects tc
the Locarno treaties, guaranteeing the
security of other nationS-pefore they
will agree to limitation of armamentS
The administration may agree tC
send representatives to the confer
once in Geneva or it may decline. or
f. may decide to send observers.
But. whatever it does, it Is expected
that Congress will be asked first to
pass upon the matter of taking part
In he conference, unless, indeed, the
administ tration should deem IL wise
not to take part in the conference.
President Coolidge yesterday con
ferred with Col. +. NJ. House, unoffl-
oial adviser of the Wilson admins
tration on foreign affairs, and also
talked with Senator Underwood or
Alabama, Democratic member of the
American delegation to the Washlng-
ton conference on limitation OF arma'
Inents While neither Col. House nor
Senator Underwood would discuss
their conversations with the President
A. is understood that the invitation OF
the League of Nations Council inquired
In the conference.
kellogg Meets Borah.
Secretary of State Kellogg talked
over with Senator Borah, chairman OF
the foreign relations committee, the
Invitation of the league, going to the
Capitol to take luncheon with Senator
Borah Later, neither Secretary kel-
iogg nor Senator Borah would disclose
the details of their conversation.
Senator Swanson of Virginia, rank
ing Democratic member of the for
eign relations committee, said en-
nhattcally that the administration
Should accept the invitation of the
seagu to the proposed arms confer
ence.
THE United States for the last six
wears has been advocating diSarma-
fnent,' said Senator Swanson. 1t
has urged it upon the nations of Eu-
rope as a means of curtallng theT
heavy expenditures and reducing tax
burdens. It cannot with grace decline
now to enter such a conference. l
hope the President will take the bit in
his teeth and send a delegation to the
meeting in Geneva. 1t is not mat
ter which he must take to Congress.
He has full authority as Chief EXecu-
tive to negotiate all agreements ana
treaties with foreign nations. The
legislation enacted by Congress to pre-
vent the President from sending
America ms TO take part OIilClillS III
meetings of commissions created un-
fer the Versailles treaty without first
getting the consent of Congress does
not cover this proposed conference
Think Step Unwise,
other Senators, while inclined to
agree with Senator swanson that the
president has full authority to accept
the invitation of the league and
send an American delegation to the
meeting in Geneva, insisted that the
President would be unwise not TO OBJ
tain the approval of Congress in this
matter Any treaty that might be
made or protocol signed at the con
ference would. it was pointed out, re-
ouire ratification by the Senate to be
effective. The President would be in
far stronger position if the approval
pf Congress were first obtained TO
take part in the negotiations, 1t was
said.
Some Senators frankly declared
they wished first to know what Woulo
he the agenda of the proposed arms
conference before agreeing to partlcl
patton by this Government in such a
mecting They made 1t clear tfat IL
1ha conference We're To deal with Sc
curity pacts as well as Limitation OF
ar.laments they would think long
lime before consenting to American
participation. They held that this
country has no proper place In such
matters, which are distinctly the
affairs of European nations. The
United States. one Senator said, might
lust as we'll be in the League of Ma
1ions if it was to become involved
in such security pact treaties.
Nav Enter Court Clash.
The invitation of the league to take
part in the arms conference threatens
10 become involved in the controversy
now raging in the Senate over the
proposed adherence of the United
States to the World Court. Indeed,
il has come at a time not altogether
onportune for the administration,
which is backing the proposal to ad-
here to the court. Some of the op-
ponents of the court are inclined to
seize upon this invitation as evidence
of what they term a concerted move
10 get the United States into the
league itself. If the administration
should accept the invitation of the
league. and there was the slightest
chance of this country's becoming in
volved politically abroad because of
such participation the court op-
Continues ~ PaGe /, Column 6l