Evening star., 1953-04-06
Dulles Opposes
Bill 10 Restrict
Treaty Powers
Pucts Won't Be Used
To Bring on Reforms,
Secretary Testifies
By J. A. O'leor

Secretary of State Dulles told
Congress today a constitutional
amendment to prevent treaties
from being used to bring about
domestic reforms is unnecessary
because this administration has
no intention of entering into
such treaties.
He was the first Government
witness against the proposal Of
Senator Bricker, Republican, Of
Ohio to amend the Constitution
to spell out the principle that no
treaty could have the force of
domestic law unless backed up
by an act of Congress.
The Secretary took the witness
stand after Clarence Manion,
former dean of the Law School
at Notre Dame University, urged
early passage of the amendment.
McCarran Sees Change.
This is the hottest question
since the Civil War" said Mr..
Manion, land if the people find
out the Constitution is in danger
they are going to be heard
from"
Even before Mr.. Dulles took
the. stand Senator McCarran,
Democrat, Of Nevada, suggested
that the Secretary has changed
his attitude on the question
since he addressed an American
Bar Association meeting last
year.
At the outset of his testimony
Mr.. Dulles admitted that in
recent years a tendancy had
developed Ito consider treaty
making as a way to effectuate
reforms. particularly in relation
to social matters. :"
Says Evil Was Corrected.
Il believe that that concern
was then a legitimate one" the
Secretary continued. Those who
shared it were alert citizens. I
believe they have performed a
patriotic service in bringing their
fears to the attention of the
American public. But I point
out that the arousing of that
concern was a correction of the
evil.
There has been a reversal Of
the trend toward trying to use
the treaty making power to ef-
feet internal social changes. This
administration is committed to
the exercise of the treaty max
ing power only within traditional
limits"
illustrates His Point.
To illustrate his point that tho
trend has changed, Mr.. Dulles
said:
l. The present administration
intends to encourage the promo
tion everywhere of human
rights, but by persuasion rather
than formal undertakings which
commit one part of the world
to impose its social and moral
standards on another part.
2. This administration does
not intend to sign the United
Nations convention on political
rights of women. 1t has taken
this stand because the adminis-
tration does not believe this goal
can be achieved by treaty, he
said.
3. This administration will en-
deavor to see that the Senate
is given the opportunity to "ad-
wise and consent" in time 80
that it does not have to choose
between adopting treaties it does
not like, or embarrassing our
international position by reject
ing what has already been
negotiated with foreign govern
ments."
Fear of international agree
ments being considered in the
U. N. to regulate labor, educa-
tion, social security and other
human rights on a world
basis motivated the proposed
constitutional amendment. Six
ty-four Senators are sponsoring
it.
Mr.. Dulles testified that trea-
ties should not, or cannot. be
used as a device to circumvent
the constitutional procedures on
domestic matters.
The Secretary also asserted
that never in 160 years has any
actual treaty produced the re-
suits which supporters of the
resolution fear.