PACIFIC TREATY.

Taranaki Daily News, 13 March 1922, Page 5

PACIFIC TREATY.

ITS FATE IN AMERICA. ACCEPTANCE URGED, FACTOR IN PEACE. By Telegraph.—Press Assn. —Copyright. Received March 12, 11.5 p.m. Washington, March 11. Senator Underwood (leader of the Democrats in the Senate, and one of the American delegates at the Washington Conference), in a speech in the Senate, said the Democrats would support the Pacific Treaty. He declared that its defeat would be a backward step in the nation’s life, and its ratification would eliminate any real cause of war. He said criticism of the treaty based on the inclusion of only four Powers lacks force, because those Powers were the only ones capable of disturbing the peace of the Orient within a decade. He declared that the Pacific Treaty was a better guarantee for the Philippines than fortifications or navies. “I have yet to find a man,” he said, “informed on naval matters who does not admit that if we became involved in war with a first-class naval power in the beginning it would be impossible for us to protect the Philippines from a successful attack.”

Senator Underwood read Mr. C. E. Hughes’ letter, which created a stir amongst a full Senate and crowded galleries, and added: “There is a feeling in the world that the United States cannot make a compact and be bound by it. I will not stand in the way of reservations which will not destroy the treaty terms. I will accept Senator Brandegee’s reservations, but Senator Robinson’s reservation would destroy the treaty terms.” Mr. Hughes, writing to Senator Underwood, declared that failure to ratify the Pacific Treaty would be nothing short of a national calamity. He said: “It seems to be implied in some way that the American delegates have been imposed upon, or that they have been induced to accept some plan cunningly contrived by others and opposed to our delegates. Apart from the refleetion upon the competency of the American delegates such insinuations betray a very poor and erroneous conception of the conference’s work, no part of which, whether within or outside meetings, was begun, prosecuted or concluded in intrigue.”

Mr. Hughes’ letter proceeded: “Long before the conference met the United States’ stand that the Anglo-Japanese alliance should be abrogated had been communicated to the Powers concerned. It had also been made clear that the United States could enter no alliance or make any commitment to the use of arms which would impose any such obligation.” As to its decision in future controversies, he asserted that there were no secret notes or understandings connected with treaty-framing, but he declared that the Pacific Treaty was the result of suggestions by the representatives of the Governments concerned. International amenities prevented him from revealing the detailed discussions on the drafts submitted, but he assured Senator Underwood that full disclosure of the negotiations would reveal nothing contrary to the traditional policies of the United States Government.

Received March 12, 5.5 p.m. Washington, March 11.. Senator Lodge ha® notified the Senate that he will call up the Pacific Treaty on Saturday and keep the Senate in continuous session until a vote is obtained.

Senator Robinson moved an amendment binding the four Powers to refrain from aggression and providing that when a controversy arises which is not settled diplomatically all the nations concerned shall be invited to a conference. The administration leaders have decided that it is necessary to press the treaty with the utmost persistence to obtain a vote in face of the filibuster-, ing tactics of the opposition. Answering attacks on the authorship of the Pacific Treaty Senator Lodge told the Senate that the treaty was very much in the mind of the American delegation some time before the negotiations began to be disclosed. At the time Mr. Hughes was denying that such a compact was contemplated it was actually under discussion among the delegates to Washington. —Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. NO ALLIANCE FOR WAR. JAPANESE DELEGATE’S VIEW. ALL NATIONS SATISFIED. Received March 12, 5.5 p.m. Tokio, March 11. Admiral Kato and Mr. Hanihara arrived from the, Washington Conference heavily guarded, but no demonstration was attempted. Admiral Kato, answering criticisms, denied that the Japanese delegates were under foreign pressure. He added that while some detail® of the Washington results were unsatisfactory to Japan, generally speaking all the nations were satisfied. Mr. Tokugawa, in a speech, declared the critics of the Pacific Treaty were trying to read into its very plain terms some moral pledge 'binding the nations to war as well as peace, but that interpretation was too far fetched to need repudiating. —Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.