Evening star., 1928-12-16
Navy Cruiser Bill and Farm
Relief Also in Line
for Debate.
B0RAH AND KELLOGG
CONFER ON TREATY
President Talks to Johnson and
Mclean on Status of Peace
Agreement.
BY G. GOULD LINCOLN.

BY G. GOULD LINCOLN.
With its decks cleared by the passage
of the Boulder Dam bill, the Senate is
turning its attention to the considera-
ton of other problems this week. Out
standing among them are the kellogg
multilateral treaty renouncing war, the
naval cruiser bill and farm legislation.
So far only the naval bill is actually
before the Senate. The treaty is still
before the foreign relations committee,
and the revised McNary farm bill is
awaiting consideration by the commit
tee on agriculture.
The foreign relations committee will
resume its meetings on the treaty Mon
day. Notwithstanding the determina-
ton of Senator Moses of New Hamp-
shire and Senator Reed of Missouri and
several other members of the committee
to go ahead with their plan to have th<
Senate adopt separate "interpretA
tive" resolution, Chairman Borah ex-
pressed confidence last night that the
ment or reservation, and without the
passage of the proposed resolution.
BOrah and Kellogg Confer.
Senator Borah had conference with
Secretary kellogg in regard to the treat
situation yesterday. 1t Is understood
that the President and the Secretary of
State are opposed to the proposal of
Of ho fr hot int TO
tive resolution be adopted by the Senate,
on the ground that no such resolution
is needed. The critics of the treaty,
however, are threatening to make the
path cs the treaty in the Senate rough
one if they cannot have their resolution
1t Is Senator Borah'S plan to hold
daily meetings Of the committee until
he can get the treaty favorably reported
1t remains to be seen whether an at
tempt to filibuster in the committee it
self against the report of the treaty to
the Senate will materialize.
President Coolidge late yesterday
called to the White House two members
of the foreign relations committee
whose attitude toward the treaty has
yet to be made clear and in a confer
ence which lasted nearly an hour, ex-
pressed his intense desire that the Sem
ate ratify the pact and at the same time
attach no reservations.
The two Senators. Johnson of Cali
fornia and Mclean of Connecticut, both
Republicans. refused to discuss their
talk with the Chief Executive. but q
short while later brief announcement
of what had taken place was made
through Everett Sanders, MIR. Coolidge's
secretary.
Bruce Voices Opposition.
Earlier in the day the Senate heard
the first words of opposition to the
treaty to be uttered on the Senate floor.
These came from Bruce of Maryland,
who, nevertheless. ended his speech
with declaration that he would vote
for ratification because he felt that the
pact, although faulty in itself, was cal
culated to bring the United States into
the League of Nations and the World
Court.
The position of both Johnson and
Mclean has yet to be clearly deter
mined. Johnson's attention has been
monopolized virtually since the session
began by his Boulder Canyon Dam bill.
which finally was approved Friday by
the Senate.
The navar construction bill is due to
become the unfinished business of the
Senate as soon as the So-called convict
labor bill, now pending before the Sen
ate has been disposed of. The naval
bill, therefore, is likely to come up in
the Senate for consideration after an
other day or two. Some of the treaty
critics are insistent that the naval bill
shall be passed before the treaty is
taken up. They fear that ratification
of the treaty might tend to increase
opposition to the naval bill. The oppo-
sition to the naval bill centers particu-
larly in the group of Republican pro-
gresSives in the Senate.
McNary Awaits Report.
Senator McNary has been waiting
report of the Department of Agriculture
on his farm bill before asking his COM
mittee to begin hearings on the meas
ure. Some of the Western members of
the Senate are opposing action on the
farm bill at the present short session OF
Congress, holding that it should be con-
sidered by the new Congress in a special
session next Spring. The opinion is
growing that unless President -elect
Hoover gives his approval to the
McNary bill and urges that it be put
through at the present session, no ac-
ton will be had on farm legislation
IL
several messages have been sent to Mr..
Hoover in South America asking him to
make statement of his position in the
matter.
President Coolidge Is represented as
being deSirous that Congress should
deal with the farm. legislation at the
present session. 1t is said also that the
President does not intend to appoint
the members of the Federal farm
board, proposed in the farm bill. but ,
will leave that duty to the incoming
President, II the bill is put through at
the present session. A suggestion has
been made that an amendment might
be placed in the bill which would pro-
vide for the appointment OF the new
board after March Is. AS this would |
fit in with the view of President Cool |
idge that the board should be selected
by MIR. Hoover. who will have the ad-
OF the new law, it Is be- |
lieved that such an amendment would |
not be frowned upon at the White |
House. The proponents OF the bill, |
however, do not wish to be placed in /
the position of affronting President |
Coolidge by writing into the bill an |
which would have the effect |
Of denying him the right TO make the |
to the proposed board.
Action Is In Doubt.
Whether Mr.. Hoover will care to |
commit himself to the pending bill and
to ask its immediate passage, thereby |
doing away with the need of calling |
q special session of Congress imme- |
diately after he takes ONCE is a ques-
ton. But unless he does declare him. |
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