Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-01-05
COURT OPPONENTS
SEEKING DELAYS
Idea Is to ProIong Debate So
Tax Bill Will Displace
All Else.
by DAVID LAWRENCE.

Although all seems quiet on the 70
tomac with reference to the Worlo
Court issue, the truth tB the opponents
of American entry are by no means
asleep. They are as determined 10 de-
feat the measure as they were curing
the League of Nations debate. Their
idea now is to pro1ong the debate sS
much as possible, so that when Sena-
tor Smoot, chairman of the Senate
finance committee, brings In the tax
bill It Will Immediately displaCe every
thing else.
Chairman Smoot has the assurance
of hts colleagues that they Will make
the tax bin the unfinished business be
fore the Senate az soon as 1t is ready.
He wants action not later than March
!, and 50 does the country, judging
from the letters received here by mem
bers of Congress. To get the bill pass
ed by the Senate by March ! means al
least two or three weeks ahead of thai
date for debate.
Small But Strong Group.
If the tax bill is ready the second
week In February the World Court
will really have about five weeks toi
debate VIII that be enough? From
the viewpoint of the advocates II Is
sufficient, as they are ready now TO
take a vote The opponents, however.
say the subject has hardly been con
sidered that until now the real at
tack on the measure has not been
made and that the implications o.
American entry into the court have
not been thoroughly grasped by the
country at large.
It's a small group Of "irreconcil
ables," but a powerful one. LED, lnneeu.
by Senator Borah, chairman OF the
foreign relations committee and one
of the ablest debaters of the genera
ton.
Strictly speaking, the debate VIII
center on entrance into the World
Court, but actually the advocates ana
opponents of the measure nave III
mind the larger aspects or the q ueS-
ton, namely, further identflcauons
with the League Of Nations Many Oh
the Democrats Will Concede that lheS
are voting for the World Court, winch
was created by the league, Just be
cause IL is a step nearer entranc"
into the league itself. Many Repubh-
cans say they will vote for entry into
the court because they are sure j.
doesn't mean entry into the league
The 'Irreconcilables' stand between
the two groups. arguing that ooih
can't be right and they, therefore, take
the Democratic viewpoint that entry
with the league covenant in more
definite sense later on. AS matter
of fact President Coolidge has dis
posed to some extent of the doubts
concerning American ASSOCIATION with
the league by sending TO Congress q
message asking for funds 10 parucl-
pate in a preliminary conference in
disarmament In which America zen
nitelv would cooperate with the
council of the league.
Opposition Lacking.
There is no sign Yet that this vii
be opposed from any quarter, but 1t Is
noted that the President was careful
not To go beyond a promise TO attend
the preliminary conference, which i
to formulate d program for discussion.
From the viewpoint of the advocates
of the World Court this was wise
step. because 1t emphasized thai
America would cooperate in che III
ture with the council on those things
in which American freedom OF action
is not impaired. The opponents of tn"
court are not ready To admit by any
means that the United States would
retain freedom of action in joining the
! court, contending instead that moral
! obligations would be incurred to abide
| by the DEGREES of the World Court
Wnen gwen dS petNeSi4 Ii4tiIIL'Si q
| the league, and that the United States
would sooner or later become en-
tangled in the process whereby those
| DEGREES would be enforced by the
! League of Nations.
While the proponents OF the cour-
have the necessary two-thirds vote a.
the moment. the fight is not over. The
/ minority is trying hard to delay action
| and defer the matter, believing that
| public opinion can be aroused in oppO
| sition if only sufficient time is given
! for further debate.
copyright. 1920