The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1954-01-26
Broker MAY
Accept Change
In Proposal
Ohio Senator
Disputes Ike's
Contentious About
His Amendment
~ JACK BELL

His Amendment
by JACK BELL
WASHINGTON B-Sen. Bricker
(R.0hio) said today q desire to
keep the Republican party from
being torn apart" would lead him
to accept reasonable compromise
on altering treaty-making powers
In the Constitution.
Bricker disputed President FL
senhOwer's newly stated conten-
tons that the Ohioan's proposed
amendment would I'd make 1t i'm
possible for the United States to
deal with friendly countries on de-
Tense matters, ca strip the Presi,
dent Of his historical role as the
nations spokesman, and (3) force
American withdrawal from leader
ship In world affairs.
In q letter yesterday TO Sen.
Knowland of California, the COP
floor leader, Eisenhower said he
subseribes fully ito the PROPOSE
ton that no treaty or international
agreement can contravene the Con-
stituti0n." He would back an
amendment to make this clear, he
added.
But the President said he was
''unaIterably opposed" to Brokers
proposal, now before the Senate
for debate expected to begin to-
morrow, On the ground that sit
would impair our hopes and plans
for peace and the successful
achievement of the important mat
tiers now under discussion" He
added:
"This would include the diver
sion Of atomic energy from war.
like to peaceful purposes.
Release Of the Presidents letter
was regarded in some quarters
as indicating the administration
has decided Il must fight the issue
out IN the Senate at the risk Of
splitting the Republicans. However,
Kn0wland said compromise at
tempts would continue.
Disputing the Presidents stand,
Bricker said his amendment would
not In any way affect negotiations
with friendly nations for mutual
defense or impede Eisenhower'sI
plan to pool atomic energy resourc-
es for peacetime uses.
II have asked for a bill Of par.
ticulars on this point and ! never
have received IT," Bricker said in
an interview. my amendment
would not in any way, shape or
form affect negotiations In inter
national affairs and in no way
would 1t restrict or interfere with
the President in the proper con-
duct Of his duties
Bricker said his aim is to write
into the constitution wording ''that
will keep the President personally
or two thirds of the senator's from
making laws for the states" He
said this would be accomplished
by a clause in his amendment
which says "a treaty shall become
effective as internal law in the
United States only through legis-
lation which would be valid in the
absence Of treaty"
II is this language-the (which
cIause"-at which the administra-
ton balks. Officials have said it
would prevent the President from
executing q valid treaty dealing
with any matters such as narcotics
or divorces which are reserved to
the states by the Constitution. They
have also criticized a section to
give Congress power to regulate"
executive agreements.
Bricker continued:
81 don't want to interfere with
the Presidents international pow.
ers in political affairs-in fact I
have fought for them. But | don't
want treaties or executive agree
ments to destroy state govern
ments.
"Pm willing to accept any Ian
guage that viii accomplish what
l am driving at. / don't want the
Republican party torn apart. I'll
60 as far as any reasonable man
can 60"
Knowland said he still has hopes
that language can be found which
Is acceptable to Bricker and Eli
Senhower. But the 0hioan said he
hasn't been offered what he con-
siders real compromise.
when they get one, they can
bring it to me and I'll consider
it," he said.
Gov. Theodore r. McKeldin of
Maryland appealed, meanwhile, to
the II other state chief executives
to come to Eisenhower's support.