Evening star., 1953-10-28
Church Group Told
Of Danger 10 U. 5. in
Cutting Treaty Power
By Cospor Names
Stor StoH Correspondent

CLEVELAND, Oct. 28.-Dele-
gates to the fourth national
study conference on the church
and world order will devote to-
day to division meetings after
hearing Assistant Secretary Of
State Thruston B. Morton last
night declare any limitation of
the Presidents treaty-making
powers would be most damaging
to our foreign policy"
Without naming but obviously
referring to the Bricker amend
ment aimed at restricting the
presidential power in this field,
Mr.. Morton asserted, 81 certainly
do not believe that limitation of
the Presidents treaty powers
would in any way prove bene-
fetal to our country. If any
think, a severe limitation on these
powers would prove damaging to
our foreign policy"
The speaker, in one of the
strongest administration state
ments against congressional &C
ton curtailing the Presidents
treaty making powers yet made,
asserted that adoption of any
measures along this line would
positively cripple the foreign
policy making process"
Would Hit Standard Treaty.
1T would make it impossible
for us to enter into many of the
types of treaties now in force,
among them the standard treaty
of friendship and commerce." he
said. 1T would, in effect, destroy
the executive agreement-one of
the most vital tools the Presi-
dent has for moving rapidly to
meet emergency situations.
1T would severely damage our
international prestige and our
diplomatic bargaining position.
The hurdles which any treaty
would have to clear to become
law would be so great and so
time-consuming as to cause any
country with which we were ne
gotiating to wonder whether the
President indeed had any ne
gotiating authority at ALL"
The Bricker amendment in
troduced on January 7, 1858, by
Senator Bricker, Republican, of
Ohio, is in committee and may
come up when Congress recon-
Venes in January.
Mrs. Eleanor Roosevelt. in a
press conference yesterday, also
voiced opposition to the Bricker
amendment.
Cites OAR Attitude.
Asserting there is a great deal
OF transformation being spread
about the issue, Mrs. Roosevelt
said woman told her the other
day that OAR Daughters of
the American Revolution) chap
ters have been informed if the
Brlcker amendment is not passed
the President can take us into a
world government without Con-
gress having anything to saw"
l am concerned about the
amendment" she said, because
1t would curtail any executive
agreements on the part of the
President. I think, in a period
OF history where a President has
to act quickly, any restriction is
a very important thing to con-
sider." .
In his address, Mr.. Morton
also made a vigorous defense of
the United Nations, claiming
that despite it's SHORTCOMINGS"
and failures" it's successes have
far outweighed those failures
the United Nations remains
to use President Eisenhower's
phrase-'sheer necessity"
The speaker also defended the
Governments present security
program.
II believe that we must take
every reasonable precaution to
protect ourselves against sub
version" he said. I'VE have a
sound Government security pro-
gram. This program is not per-
feet. But, then, no program de-
yised by human beings is perfect.
And the administration is keep
ing constant check on it to
correct any deficiencies as they
arise"
Would Guard Basic Liberties.
But Mr.. Morton insisted that
"the right to speak and think
frnolx1 Vra,ycf roa1,ar ha rooriRooI