THE FOUR-POWER, PACT

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18514, 27 March 1922, Page 5

THE FOUR-POWER, PACT

DEBATE IN THE SENATE. AMENDMENTS DEFEATED. THE TREATY RATIFIED. Press Association—By Telegraph—Copyright. WASHINGTON, 'March 24. The Senate defeated all the amendments and approved separately of the FourPower Treaty articles. The Opposition then introduced 15 reservations, thus delaying the final vote. The Senate defeated the Robinson amendment to the Pacific Treaty by 61 votes to 32. Another amendment, stating that the United States becomes a party for the sole purpose of keeping the peace and the adjustment of differences among other nations, was defeated by 74 votes to 13. Senator Reed’s amendment that any nation refusing to concur in any understanding should not be bound by such understanding was defeated by 62 votes to 29. Further amendments moved by Senator Reed, that no nation is under any obligation to do any act of war, that anv signatory may withdraw after giving two years’ notice, and that the Treaty shall be limited to 10 years, were all defeated. Among the reservations proposed are the following by Senator La Follette;—Prohibiting "the renewal of the Anglo-Japanese Alliance during the life of the present Treaty; stating that it is the intention of the United States to grant the Philippines independence within 10 years. ‘ The first vote in the Senate to-day concerned Senator Robinson’s amendment to the Pacific Treaty providing that each contracting party should refrain from entering into any secret treaty, agreement, or understanding with any other Power during the life of the Treaty. Senator Robinson will later offer the amendment as a resolution. A flood of reservations were introduced before the voting began. Senator La Fol- • letto introduced six. including one providing for the abrogation of any of the existing treaties inconsistent with the present one, and providing that no other treaties relative to the Pacific should be made bv any of the signatory Powers without the consent of the others. The Senate ratified the Pacific Treaty by 67 to 27, including the Brandegee reservation, which was adopted by 90 votes to 2. FINAL VOTE DELAYED. TREATY OPPONENTS’ STUBBORN FIGHT. FIFTEEN RESERVATIONS INTRODUCED. WASHINGTON, March 24. (Received March 26, at 5.5 p.m.) The introduction of 15 reservations to the Pacific Treaty at' the last moment delayed the final vote. Senator Johnson moved an amendment providing powers to use peaceful measures m meeting any aggression from outside. The amendment was defeated by 65 votes to 26. Senator Walsh’s amendment was defeated by 55 votes to 36, and Senator Robinson’s reservation was rejected by 56 votes to 36. The La Follette reservations were also rejected. Senator Robinson offered an amendment to the supplementary treaty _ excluding from the operation of the Pacific Treaty the island of Sakhalien, the southern half of which is held by Japan as the result of the Jaipanese-Russian War. During the previous debate many Senators predicted that Russia would within a few years seek to regain the island, thus involving the United States. Senator Pittman criticised President Harding for not presenting for ratification the declaration that Mr Hughes made before signing, providing that the United States gave up none of its rights over mandated islands and that all domestic questions were excluded from the operation of the Treaty. Senator Pittman moved a reservation giving the United States the right to decide for itself what a domestic problem is and hence what lies outside the Treaty’s jurisdiction. The motion was rejected by 65 votes to 28. The votes approving of Treaty articles were as follow : First article, 64 votes to 15. Second article, 66 votes to 28. Third article, 66 votes to 26. Fourth article, providing for the scrapping of the Anglo-Japanese Alliance, 73 votes to 8. Senator Johnson’s reservation, reintroduced as an amendment, was defeated by 63 votes to 28. Senator Johnson moved a reservation that the United States assumes neither moral nor legal obligation to-maintain the rights of other Powers in their Pacific possessions, requiring Congressional assent to the agreements under the Treaty. The motion was defeated by 64 votes to 28. Senator Reed introduced a reservation that the United States could withdraw when any other party, in the judgment of the President or Congress, wrongly made war. This was defeated by 62 votes to 28. Senator Reed immediately offered a reservation providing that the United States may withdraw at any time on a 'year’s notice. This was defeated by 64 votes to 26. Senator Pomerene’s substitute for Senator Brandegee’s reservation providing that any adjustment reached under articles one and two must be approved by Congress before being binding on the United States was defeated by 78 votes to 10. ' Senator Brandegee’s reservation states that the United States understands the Treaty contains no commitment to armed force," no alliance, and no obligation to come to anyone’s defence. Senator Walsh introduced a substitute for Senator Robinson’s reservation providing for a general conference of all the nations, whether they are signatories or not, whose interests are involved in any concern which might arise out of the Treaty. In anticipation of the final vote, the public began to assemble in the galleries at seven o’clock. Fifty-five Republicans and two Democrats voted for the Treaty and four Republicans and 23 Democrats voted against it. Following on the ratification of the Pacific Treaty, Senator Lodge urged the Senate to take an immediate vote on the .supplemental treaty, eliminating Japan’s homeland from the scope of the former. Senator Robinson, the Opposition Leader, objected on the ground that the Senators had had no opportunity to study it. Senator Lodge then consented to a postponement till to-morrow. The Naval Reduction Treaty will be next considered.—A. and N.Z. Cable. THE BRxVNDEGEE RESERVATION. NO OBJECTION FROM JAPAN. TOKIO, March 25. (Received March 26, at 5.5 p.m) It is officially declared that Japan has no objection to the Brandegee reservation to the Pacific Treaty, the Government regarding it ns of little consequence.—A. and N.Z. Cable. BRITAIN AND AMERICA. ALLEGED SECRET AGREEMENT. UNEASINESS IN JAPAN. TOKIO, March 24. Despite the prompt and emphatic denials of President Harding and Mr Hughes that a secret agreement exists between America and Great Britain, the continued allegations on the floor of the Senate are commencing to cause uneasiness among the Japanese public and are placing the Administration in an awkward position. Politicians in Japan are equally as eager as those elsewhere to seize upon anything to embarrass the Government by repeated assertions that there is something behind the treaties. This gives an _ excellent handle to the anti-Administration jingohits here.—A. and N.Z. Cable.