The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1928-11-19
KEEPING UP
With
THE NE WIS
BY LUDWELL DENNY

I. NSOPJAAbAAVt DIAAppa-I1OWdIu newspapers
1929
XNTASHINGTON, Nov. 19.-Plans
w of a senatorial group to force
an exrta session of congress by de-
laying ratification of the Kellogg
anti-war pact in the winter session
have put the spirit Of fear and fight
into the peace organizations.
Peace societies intend to force
quick ratification of the treaty, if
they have to mobilize public opin-
ion" and mighty 'letter lobby to
do it.
They fear that, unless they check
the move for postponement, the net
result may be passage of the cruiser
bill and indefinite delay on the
! treaty.
Since the Armistice day address
of Secretary of State Kellogg and
President Coolidge, there has been a
sudden shift by certain adminis-
tration leaders in the senate. Be-
fore that, it generally was assumed
that treaty ratification would be al
most automatic by the short session
of congress, opening in December.
Public support Of the treaty was
! believed to be so unanimous that
Democratic speakers in the political
campaign did not question the pact,
which was used by the Hoover
orators as a major reason for re-
election of a Republican admins
istration.
Considering the general public
and press support Of the treaty and
it's popularity with individual sem
ators of both parties, no one ques-
tions the ability of the administers
ton to obtain ratification this wins
ter if it wants to do so.
But the administration definitely
is quite putting out feelers regarding
delay.
VARIOUS reasons are given by
' administration senators for
this. They say that the Presidents
Armistice day address, criticing
European ornaments and diplomacy
and supporting an American naval
increase, has brought out such
bitter foreign denunciations that
the senate will spend weeks replying
and debating the treaty, once it
comes up on the floor.
They add that the short session
will do well to dispose of business
aleardy on the calendar, such as
Boulder Dam and the regular APP
preparation bills.
There also is a growing demand
for general tariff revision upward,
a long job at best which could not
possibly be completed at the short
session. If farm relief and the KEEL
logg pact should be disposed of
during the winter session, there
would be no extra session and the
higher tariff advocate would have to
wait another year.
Hence their desire to add the
Kellogg pact as one of the reasons
for an extra session, beginning after
March 4. Such extra session of
course would represent the increased
house and senate majorities of the
new Republican administration.
But the chief reason for the I'M
expected move to delay senate rati-
f1cation of the Kellogg pact is under
stood to be naval.
n
| ID ECAUSE of disquieting European
ID developments, including Great
Britains refusal at Geneva to grant
| cruiser parity to the United States
and the Anglo-French naval agree
ment episode, the administration
has decided to rush the cruiser bill.
That bill, which has passed the
house and is pending in the senate,
provides for one aircraft carrier and
fifteen cruisers, in addition to the
eight cruisers now under construc-
ton.
The administration appears I'M
willing to risk Kellogg pact debate,
! jeopardizing the cruiser bill. 1t is
aware that there is much criticism
abroad and in this country against
the alleged contradictory policy of
launching new cruisers and a new
peace pact at the same time.
1t is afraid, apparently, that this
argument will be used in the treaty
debate to sink the cruiser bill.
Therefore, the administration pre-
fers to proceed Immediately with the
practical" matter of insuring a big
ger navy, and not until that is out
of the way to go on with the ideal
istic" treaty renouncing war "as an
instrument of national policy"
All this has confused and con-
founded the peace organizations,
which were chiefly responsible last
spring for cutting down the naval
bill from seventy-one to sixteen
ships
The majority groups in those Or
carnations were prepared a week
ago to sacrifice temporarily their
anti-navy program to facilitate
speedy ratification of the kellogg
| treaty.
But now they foresee danger Of
quick passage Of the cruiser bill in
the winter session, and then in
definite delay of the treaty, while
a special session struggles with farm
relief, tariff revision, and dozen
other problems.