Evening star., 1945-02-18
andenberg Reported
Insisting on Free Hand
Al Allied Conference
By the Associated Press.


lican, of Michigan plans to ask
President Roosevelt if any
strings are attached before he
accepts an invitation to become
one of the eight American dele
gates to the San Francisco world
security conference.
Although Senator Vandenberg
would not discuss the matter him.
self, friends said yesterday he had
made 1t plain he does not want to
be bound in advance by any COM
mitments beyond the broad prin-
ciples laid down at the preliminary
Dumbarton Oaks meeting.
At the same time, the chairman
of the Republican Senatorial Con-
ference was reported to have agreed
with colleagues on the minority
Steering Committee that if he at
tends, he will go as an individual
and not as an official COP repre-
sentative.
NO Power OF Attorney"
The Steering Committee was un-
willing, as one of its members put
1t, to give even Senator Vanden-
berg "a power of attorney for the
group. The Michigan Senator re-
portedly recognized this view as
sound.
Several Senate Republicans do not
approve Senator Vandenberg's re-
cent proposal for the conclusion of
treaty among the major Allies
guaranteeing immediate military
action against Germany and Japan
If the Axis countries attempt to re-
arm after the war.
The United States would share in
this without further congressional
action under the Vandenberg pro-
posal. That has brought some Re-
publican opposition on the grounds
that it would be tantamount to "a
perpetual declaration of war;
would constitute a military alliance
and would invade Congress powers
to recognize a state of war.
While this opposition has been
vocal in Republican Senate gather
ings. the bulk of the minority men,
bers are expected to follow the
Michigan Senator's leadership when
the security treaty comes before
them.
Administration Wants Vandenberg.
That is why the administration
is primarily interested in enlisting
Senator Vandenberg as supporter
of the results of the San Francisco
conference, and why President
Roosevelt may go out of his way to
assure the Michigan Senator that
the latter will have a free hand as
a delegate.
Senator White of Maine, the
minority leader, said he had urged
Senator Vandenberg to accept the
appointment unless the latter feels
that his actions would be too cir
cumscribed by prior commitments
made by the administration.
mo one can come closer to repre-
senting the Republican viewpoint
in the Senate on foreign affairs
than Senator Vandenberg," Senator
White said. TT would certainly be
a blow to hopes for senatorial ap-
proval of security organization if
he should feel that he has to de-
cline"
Senator Vandenberg has proposed
that unilateral agreements on
European political questions be
checked back to the proposed peace
organization for final approval. He
is likely to carry some such idea
into the conference If he accepted
place on the American delega-
ton.
Unanimous Vote Plan.
He was reported as willing to 60
along on a proposal requiring a
unanimous vote of the big Five"
on the 1l-member directing coun-
Gil before force or economic sane
tions could be used by the organiza-
ton to keep future peace.
Mr.. Roosevelt, Prime Minister
Churchill and Premier Stain re-
ported after their Yalta meeting
that they had reached an agree
ment on the controversial voting
question. Official disclosure of the
terms of this agreement is awaiting
expected approval by France.
On one other important point,
Senator Vandenberg may differ
from the administration. That in
wolves the authority of the Ameri-
can delegate to commit this coun-
try's military forces to action with
out prior consent of Congress.
The Michigan Senator has In
sisted this could be relegated to the
status of minor matter if the ma
jor Allies agreed to act precipitiously
and without congressional discus
sion against any Axis attempt to
rearm.
His position has been that the
American delegates authority is a
domestic matter, to be settled by
Congress apart from the treaty set
ting up the security organization.
He would be likely to resist any
move to write into the treaty at San
Francisco definition of that dele
gates powers