The Washington times., 1930-06-30
U.S.DEEENSES
WEAKENED
ISCLA|M
Johnson, Moses Join Robinson
of Indiana to Urge Defeat
or Delay in Naval Treaty

OF DEidy VI NdNoI IIOoNy
Embodying a sharp reprimand
Of the administration for its
handling of the London naval
treaty, report on the pact was
submitted to the Senate today by
a vigorous minority Of the Senate
Foreign Relations Committee.
Signed by. ,Eenetors Johnson
(F.) Of California. Moses Ro OF
New Hampshire and Robinson
i(F.) of Indiana, the document de-
nounced the treaty as neither
fair nor just" and urged reJec'
ton by the Senate, or, at least,
poStponement Of consideration
until fall.
Submission Of the adverse re-
port carried to its peak the drive
against ratification by johnson
and other opponents of the naval
arms agreement.
Raps Every Provision
The report took UP each part
Of the treaty separately. con,
demned it's every provision as iln-
fair and failing to afford this
country parity with Great Britain.
It reads:
''The minority demand that
no treaty in respect to the
United States Navy shall be
ratified by the Senate which is
disadvantageOuS to our cOun-
try; which precludeS an ade.
quate national defense; which
affects injuriOuSly the naval
protection Of our enormous and
fast-expanding sea commerce;
or which deStructively deals
with our relative position in re.
spect to other nations.
"AI these things the treaty
does, and because it is neither
fair nor just to the United
States, we oppose it"
Administration Criticized
Criticism Of the AdminiStra-
tion's handling Of the treaty
were contained in language re-
calling that in 1922 after the
washington conference the Presi-
dent did not think it "beneath
his dignity" to report in person
the treaty negotiations to the
Senate and to the people. Refer
ence to the 1922 conference was
further made to show that at
that time the American delegates
rendered a detailed accounting of
their stewardship and explained
the treaty in all its phases, along
with the discussion surrounding
its negotiation.
Then, referring to the London
treaty, the report continued:
"It is q noticeable and re-
1narkable fact that q treaty for
which so much is claimed,
opposition to which arOuses
such q pretence Of iadigna-
tiOn, Is presented to the Senate
without explanation or report"
Denying the treaty gave parity
between America and Great
Britain in any categoryS, the
minority expression criticized the
Administration sharply for its
attitude in refusing the Senate
Foreign Relations Committee
access to all State Department
papers and correspondence ex-
changed on the document.
Rapidan Party Cited
1t commented further. that it
had good authority" to believe
that Premier Macdonald of Eng
land in the now famous confer
ence with President Hoover at
Rapidan. Va; last fall, promised
America Great Britain would
allow a treaty providing for con-
struction Of a new battleship by
this country. something which the
treaty as now drawn does not do.
The minority asserts:
1--WE are denied full infOrma.
tion which would enable us
authoritatively from the docu.
ments to speak. But from the
information which has come to
us-inf0rmatiOn we believe to
be accurate and reIiable-we
think we are justified I'm stating
that, at the Rapidan. Premier
Macdonald committed himself
to our building a new battle
ship"
The report concluded:
"And lastly, the treaty may
imperil our vast sea.bOrne com.
Hnerce and endanger our cOun-
try'S future. It Is unfair and
unjust to the United States and
should not be ratified"