Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-04-10
NAVAL PACT FIGHT
IN SENATE IS SEEN
Fierce Opposition Forecast
Regardless of Terms of
London Treaty.
BY FREDERIC WILLIAM VILE.

Whatever energies from the London
Naval Conference - five-power treaty,
three-power pact, consultative clause or
anything else-is already assured OF
nerce opposition in the United States
Senate. The big Navy forces are grid
ing their loins to that end. Their f1rst
nght will be directed against any pre-
cipitate action in the direction of rati-
Acation. Any effort to rush ratification
Is the Harding administration sought
TO do in 1922 following the Washington
Conference, will be resisted.
If present plans materialize. there is
little prospect that the Senate will come
finally to grips with the London treaties
until some time in 1881. Congress is
scheduled to adjourn June l. Senator's
who believe that the United States has
'loSt the conference" and "Sacriflced
the Navy" are intent upon having Sec
rotary StinSon's work in London ex-
haustively reviewed before appropriate
Senate committees. There are sugges-
lions of pr >tracted hearings before both
the foreign relations and naval COM
nnittees. That would practically make
ratifying action impossible before the
next session Of Congress, in December.
and probably would delay 1t until early
next year.
fO1nts Oh OppOSAstOh'
II the terms of a tripartite agree
rnent turn out to be of the kind hitherto
reported. certain Senators are prepared
"a attack them as unfair to. if not
actually unsafe for, the United States.
Parity with Great Britain is achieved
by the Stinson- Macdonald arrange
rnerts, 1t is declared. only in paper
figures. Not only Is British battleship
superiority during the next five years
stabilized, the prospective critics OF
three-power treaty complain, but Jonn
Bull has committed Uncle Sam TO a
feet of small, 6-inch cruisers for which
than that, senatorial indictments la
nnent, Is Americas acceptance OF
lower quota of big, 8-inch, 10,000-ton
cruisers than we do need. These al
legged shortcomings are going to be pill
loried as victories" for the British and
costly defeats" for America.
AS to Japan, it will be commended
that the United States has executed
an equally undignt1ed and perllous
kow-tow. The Japanese went into the
conference determined to obtain 70 per
cent of any cruiser, destroyer and sub
marine strength allotted to America.
The United States was determined that
Japan should not get more than 30
per cent. AS the senatorial guardians
Of our naval destinies view it. Japan
has carried the day. In the submarine
category, they point out, Japan emerges
not merely with 70 per cent Of Ameri-
can strength, but with 100 per cent,
as the Reed-Matsudaira agreement
yields her parity with the United States
on a 52,000-ton basis.
Hand picked" Delegation.
The impending ratification controver-
L. Af a
battle royal between adherents OF the
Navy, on the one hand, and the state
Department admirals," as the Stimso-
mans are being called on Capitol Hill.
Before the ruction has progressed very
far, either in committee hearings or IN
Senate debate, the thought Is bound to
ind expression that national defense Is
being sacrificed TO produce conference
success" This charge Is likely to be
leveled with more vigor from Republican
that from Democratic quarters. It Is
on the G. O. p. side that big Navy guns
are expected to bark the loudest. Be-
fore they are spiked, there may be some
diverting revelations. At least one Sem
ator is filled with curiosity as to just
how the personnel OF our London naval
advisers and experts came to be selected.
He suggests it was "hand-picked" and
not truly representative of Navy senti-
ment.
Senator Borah has never had faith
IA any naval treaty which does not
make definite provisions for safeguard
ing Americas neutral rights in wartime
the ticklish freedom of the seas"
issue To what extent the foreign re-
lations chairman Is ready to buck Q
London treaty, which wholly sidesteps
freedom of the seas" has not been
disclosed. But the betting Is that when
the ratification contest sets in, the Ida
hoan will be there in battle trim.
Support Is Assured.
The administration Is ready to put
up q vigorous fight for ratification Of
whatever treaty the American delegation
brings back. It believes the country can
be educated to see that the cause Of
peace and naval limitation will be effec-
lively advanced, II not completely VIC
tor1ous, as a result Of a three-power
agreement. If Senator's Robinson, Dem
ocrat, and Reed, Republican, sign the
treaty In London, as It is supposed they
will do, their adherence assures the
White House Of strong bipartisan sup
port In the Senate, though party lines,
on a ratification vote, will be split just
~ they were when the Washington
treaties were approved.
(copyriEht, 1900