Evening star., 1929-01-04

Once upon time friendly biog-
rapher said that when Senator Borah
speaks "all Senate doors swing inward
and the moths nest on the gavel of the
presiding officer" The Idahoan opened
the Kellogg treaty debate yesterday un-
der precisely such conditions. He ad-
dressed crowded galleries. They listened
to him with undivided attention. Sen
ators paid their DemoSthenes the COM
pliment of being in their places in un-
usual numbers Despite a tinge OF
hoarseness, the foreign relations chair
man was in concert form. Even on
stellar occasions like the present one
Borah Scorns to speak from notes. In
var;ably knowing his onions, he peels
them-as it were-logically unhesitat-
ingly and eloquently Heckling does not
rattle him. At one time the Senate'S
two keenest cross s-examinerS-Reed OF
Missouri and johnson of California
were alternating in interrupting Borah,
but he answered them in good spirit
and resumed the even tenor Of his
argument.
Senator Reeds inquiries had an OBJ
vious purpose. The MiSsourian, who
opposes ratification of the anti-war
pact, wants to prove that it would leave
| matters exactly as they are in the
| world. He repeatedly drew from Borah
| the admission that each and every
signatory of the treaty will remain at
| liberty to determine for itself when it
! is justified in resorting to war in the
| name of self-defense. Reed was busily
engaged during Borah's opening speech
in taking notes of points which will
| serve his own purpose when he takes
the floor to attack the treaty. The
white-haired solon, whose ability COM
mands, Borah's unqualified admiration,
will probably look upon his onslaught
against the Kellogg pact as his Senate
| Swan-song. He goes out of Office with
| the expiring Congress on March 4, after
18 successive years in the upper house
Both Reed and Hiram Johnson favor
!, the cruiser bill. Their desire to have it
made clear that war under the treaty
will be an ever-present possibility dove
tails onto their support of the naval
measure.
Senator Frederick Hale of Maine
chairman Of the naval affairs COM
mittee, is almost the least Snowy man
in the Senate, but his speech in favor CT
the cruisers was a fine, reasoned and
convincing presentation. 1t will read
far better than Hale was able to make
it sound. Every American interested
In national defense ought to procure a
copy, for it epitomizes our position al
sea in terse facts and figures. Hale is
no match for expert Senate spellbinders
but has no equal when it comes to use
OF his fists. He has long held the box
ing championship of the upper branch
Of Congress. At golf, too, the senior
Senator from Maine is very consider
able person. Hale inherits his zeal from
the Navy. His father, the late Eugene
Hale, was for many years Senate naval
affairs chairman and helped directly tc
lay the foundations of our present-day
fleet.
X X X
Two distinguished members of the
Senate, who have been mentioned as
possible Hoover Secretaries of State
assign totally different reasons for the
probability that neither of them will be
named. One puts it this way: II think
Hoover might offer me the job if he
were sure in advance that I'd refuse
to take it." The other says: II wouldn't
care to be Secretary of State under any
President who himself knows as much
about foreign affairs as Herbert Hoover
does"
X X X
One of the attaches of the outgoing
administration who doesn't need tC
worry about job after March is E
Ross BARLEY, private secretary to Vice
President Dawes. BARLEY will go back
to Chicago with the general to remain
his right-hand man when Dawes re-
sumes the chairmanship of the board
of the big Central Trust Co. of Illinois
recently become, through merger, one
of the strongest banking concerns ir
the country. Bartley like so many
young men who now adorn political OF
business posts of eminence, is a re-
formed newspaper man. He was cover
ing the White House for the Associated
y I2fass Ia TO- Nlaa1au assicxaed To rennE|