Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-01-16

Ratification of the Kellogg pact by
IS to ] should leave the world in little
doubt of Americas belief in the treaty.
The SenateS 11-day talkfest and the
Clarifying committee report were
merely symptoms showing that the sem
atorial leopard does not change its
spots The upper branch of Congress
worships three gods-conversation, in
vestigation and reservation. Its eccen-
tricities are understood abroad as well
as at home. Most governments. in the
light of history, probably think the
treaty tampering section Of the Amer
lean legislature has given an uncom-
monty snappy account of itself on the
present occasion. President Coolidge,
Secretary Kellogg and Senator Borah
undoubtedly come out of the Senate
imbroglio with missing tail feathers.
Up to the last minute they were insist
ing on pact ratification without quail
fication, Interpretation, Qualification or
justification. When the bitter-enderS
1920 model trotted out the roster OF
Senators ready to block ratification I'M
til the Monroe Doctrine and Self-detenSe
were wrapped up in COTTONWOOD, the
administration ran up the white nag.
X X X X
It wasn't long after the ratification
roll call before Senators began splitting
up the glory of the ''interpretationist
victory The lions share is divided be-
tween Senators Reed (MissourD and
Moses. with Senator Bingham, circu-
lator- chief of the robin which brought
Borah around, coming in for portion.
The lean and lanky Connecticut Yankee
was prodigiously industrious in drum
ming up SignerS to the petition Tor
clarifying action. Bingham even de-
clined to desiSt when his fellow New
Highlander, Calvin Coolidge, asked him
to mend his ways. Senator Binghams
zeal for the Monroe Doctrine has its
ironical aspect, for the indiscretions OF
his literary youth include volume en-
titled 1.-THE Monroe Doctrine, an Obso-
lere Shibboleth." He long since recanted.
Senator Vandenberg, debonair Repub-
lican, of Michigan, gets credit for in
stigating the petition idea, which finally
won the day.
X X X X
Senator Hiram johnson of California
plunged the crowded galleries into a
| twitter of merriment on the eve OF the
ratification vote by reciting these lines
of Francois Villon in IF Were King" :
| To Messire Noel, named the neat
| BY those who love him, bequeath
A helmless ship, houseless street,
| A wordless book, a swordleSS sheath,
| An hourleSS clock, a leafieSS wreath,
| A bed sans sheet, board sans meat,
| A bell sans tongue, a saw sans teeth,
To make his nothingness complete.
Considering the renunciation-of-Wa
pact a correspondingly empty shell,
| Johnson pledged his support of 1t IN
| that spirit.
| Today is the ninth anniversary OF
the coming into effect of the eighteenth
amendment. Its author Senator Nor
/ ris Sheppard, Democrat, of Texas, plan
ned to celebrate it by beguiling the
Senate with panegyric on the bless
| ingS Of prohibition. On other occasions
during the intervening more or less ARID
years Sheppard has burst forth IN SIM
liar hosannas. The senior Solon from
the Lone Star country belongs to that
exclusive group Of Washington states
men who practice what they preach
Cocktails and other invigorating re-
! freshment are dangled before Sheppard
| in vain by Capital hosts and hoSteSses
He does not explode in righteous wrath
when the seductive whiffs are waited
his way for fanaticism Is not In the
Texans lexicon. The Senator just in
dicates,, smilingly but convincingly, that
he isn't having any.
X n X X
Herbert Hoover, having out-Sphinxed
even the Sphinx called Coolidge during
cabinet-making days In Washington
the dtsconsplate popHlace has to grasp