PACIFIC TREATY

Feilding Star, Volume XVIII, Issue 4550, 27 March 1922, Page 2

PACIFIC TREATY

PASSED BY THE SENATE. SERIES OF DEFEATED AMENDMENTS. v ßy Electric Telegraph.—Copyright.) ,Aust. and N.Z. Cable Association.) Washington, Mar. 24. The introduction of 15 reservations to the Pacific Treaty at the last moment delayed the final voto. Senator Johnson moved an amendment providing that the Powers use peaceful measures in meeting any aggression from outside, but it was defeated by 65 votes to 26. Other amendments and reservations were also rejected. Senator Robinson ottered an amendment to tho Supplementary Trcatv, excluding from the operation of the Pacific Treaty the Island of Sakhalien, the southern half of winch is held by Japan as the result of flic Japancse-Russian war. During the previous debate many Senators predicted that Russia within a few vears, would seek to regain the Island, thus involving the United States. Senator Pittman criticised President Harding for not presenting the Ratification declaration Senator Hughes made before the signing, providing that the United States gave up none of its rights over mandated islands, and that all domestic questions were excluded from the Treaty operation. Senator Pittman moved a reservation giving the United States the right to decide for itself what a domestic problem is (hence what lies outside the Treaty’s _ jurisdiction) which was rejected by 65 votes to 28. Votes approving of the Treaty articles were carried as follow: First article 74- to 15, second 66 to 28, third 67 to 26, fourth (providing for the scrapping of the Anglo-Japanese Alliance), 73 to 8. ' Senator Johnston then moved a reservation that tho United States assumes neither moral nor legal obligation to maintain the rights of other Powers in their Pacific possessions, and requiring Congressional assent to agreements under the Treaty was defeated by 64 votes to 28. Senator Reed introduced a reservation that tho United States could withdraw when any other party, m the judgment of the President on the Congress, wrongly made war, but it was defeated by 62 votes to 28. Senator Reed immediately offered a reservation providing that the United States may withdraw at any time at one, year’s notice. This was defeated by 64 votes to 26. Senator Pomereno’s substitute for the Brandcgces reservation providing that anv adjustment, reached under articles one and two, must be approved by Congress before becoming binding on the United States, was defeated by 78 votes to 10. Senator Brandegeo’s reservation states that the United States understands that the Treaty contains no commitment to armed force, no ammice, and no obligation to come to anyone’s defence. Senator Walsh introduced a substitute for the Robinson reservation, providing for a general conference of all nations, whether signatories or not, whose interests are involved in any concern which might arise out of'tho Treaty. „ , ~ In anticipation of the final vote, the public began to assemble in the galleries at 7 o’clock. Fifty-five Republicans and 12 Democrats voted for the Treaty and four Republicans and 23 Democrats voted against it. l'ollowincr on the ratification of the 1 acihc Treaty, Senator Lodge urged the Senate to take an immediate vote on the Supplementary Treaty, eliminating Japan’s home-land from the scope of the former. , 'Senator Robinson, the Opposition loader, objected on the ground that Senators had had no opportunity to study it. Senator Lodge then consented to a postponement till to-morrow. The Naval Reduction Treaty will be the next to be considered. THE JAPANESE MAINLAND. Washington, March. 25. It now appears likely that several days will be spent in a long discussion over the Supplementary Treaty, including the clause relating to the exclusion of the Japanese mainland from the provisions of the Pacific Treaty. Senator Lodge had hoped for ratification within a few hours, but Senator Hitchcock produced a new sensation bv declaring the adoption of the Pacific Treaty to be illegal, since the Supplementary Treaty was like a codicil of a will aiid tho ratification of the one without the other would be void. The irrcconcilables promise a sharp debate.

JAP A NESE SUSPICIONS'. Tolrio, March 24. Despite prompt and emphatic denials of President Harding and Senator Hughes that any secret agreement exists between America and Britain, the continued allegations on the floor of the Senate are commencing to cause uneasiness with the Japanese public, and is placing tlio Administration in an awkward position. Politicians in Japan, equally as eager as those elsewhere to seize anything calculated to embarrass the Government, by repeated assertions that there is something behind the treaties, give an excellent handle to the anti-adminis-tration Jiugoists here. Tokio, March 20. Ambassadors Hayashi and Ishii will head the Japanese delegation to tlio Genoa Conference. It is officially declared that Japan has no objection to the Brnndegee reservation of the Pacific Treaty, the Government regarding it as iinconseauential.