AMERICAN SENATORS

Evening Star, Issue 17922, 18 March 1922, Page 9

AMERICAN SENATORS

ATTACK ON CONFERENCE TREATIES

Press Association—By Telegraph—Copyright.

WASHINGTON, March 16.

Tho attack in the Senate on the Armament Conference treaties was switched to the Naval Limitation Treaty. It was declared that its ratification would place tho United States in grave danger. Tho whol| status of tho naval Powers under the treaty had been misrepresented to the Senate and the American people. Senator Reed challenged the members of the American delegation to produce, tho confidential reports of the naval - experts regarding the relative naval strengths of tho United States, Britain, and Japan. Ho said: “Under tho Four-Power and Naval Treaties von are making it impossible for ns to defend the Philippines. and Guam, or for us to go and attack Japan.’ As was tho case yesterday, the Senate debate on tho Four-Power Treaty lagged. At one time there was less than six senators present. Senator Reed delivered tho only speech, which attacked tho naval disarmament treaty, together with the FourPower Pact. Senator Reed declared ; “Wo agree to viold to. Japan 26.000 islands in the Pacific, a vast number of which can bo used as aeroplane bases and landing places, and many for naval bases. ,Wo also agree not to forthy Guam or strengthen our fortifications pn tho Philippines. Thus wo are placed in the position of being capable of being attacked. Our possessions are left without security, because the Four-Power Treaty, according to its advocates, does not bind its signatories.’*I—A, 1 —A, and N.Z. Gable. ,

Mr W. E. Borah, tho Republican Senator from Idaho, who >s leading the attack on the Pacific Treaty, though tho idea of a “naval hqliday ” was originated, by him, is thus described by air 11. vv, Nevinson,’ the Washington correspondent of the ‘Manchester Guardian’: “He is a large, .powerful man wiba fi great chin and jaw and a wide mouth, hair still .black, eyebrows heavy; and black over clear blue-grey eyes. Quick to foil and laugh, he might he a born actor and humorist. He represents a. perfect hereditary typo of tho best from the South or West of Ireland. He reminds one much in appearance of Daniel O’Connell, ana probably -speaks with similar eloquence. Ho lives mainly alone, and is seldom .seen in society. Ho rides alone every morning in tie beautiful Creek Park, works all day and far into the night m-tho Senate' or in tho fine suite of rooms provided for each Senator, far superior to any privilege granted to our Lords or Commons. . “These so-called offices are in the vast building close to tfio Capitol, mid connected with the Senate House by a subterranean passage. There Senator Borah sits and works, visited by many of his constituents from tho distant Stote of Idaho, where his home is—a wild, mountainous, largely pasture and cattle-breed-ing State, perhaps suited to "Borah’s nature. His reputation for wildness arises from his ‘extreme’ views and his dangerous or so-called Liberal opinions, for, amazing as it appeal’s to the English mind, Liberals are regarded' as dangerous here. In England, .perhaps, ho would ally with Wedgwood l and Kenworthy. Hero he is considered perilously Aaqnithian. “In politics ho lives alone, as in life, a party to himself. Tho ‘ Mirror,’ of Washington, calls him very dangerous as a liability, and continues : ‘ The report that Borah is on the rampage affects tho Republican leaders very much as «■ run on tho hank affects financial loaders,’ Honesty, earnestness, and eloquence make politicians incalculable. So last December he proposed in the Senate ft resolution enacting a naval pause for five years. This was rejected. Ho tacked it to tho Navy Bill of last April, and passed it. Notice of tho subject them became compulsory, and tho Washington Conference I was the result.

“Mr Borah’s Irish descent has naturally set him at enmity with England, hut if Tho Irish settlement he accomplished advanced Liberals could gain no truer or more valuable ally in . America.”