PACIFIC TREATY.

Taranaki Daily News, 27 March 1922, Page 5

PACIFIC TREATY.

RATIFIED BY AMERICAN SENATESTRINC OF AMENDMENTS. RECEIVE SHORT SHRIFT. ' fkf Telefraph.—Press Assn.—Copyright. Received March 26, 5.5 pan. Washington, March 24. Fifteen reservations to the Pacific Treaty at the last moment delayed the final vote. Senator Johnson moved an amendment providing that the Powers use peaceful measures in meeting any aggression from outside. This was defeated by 65 to 26. Senator Walsh’s amendment was defeated by 55 to 36, and. Senator Robinson’s reservation was rejected by 56 to 36. Senator La Follette’s reservations were rejboted. Senator Robinson offered an amendment to the supplementary treaty excluding from operation of the Pacific Treaty the island of Sakhalin, the southern half of which is held by Japan as the result of the Japanese-Russian War. During the previous debate many Senators predicted that Russia would within a few years seek to regain the island, thus invoking the United States.

Senator Pittman criticised Senator Harding for not presenting for ratification the declaration Mr. Hughes made before signing. providing that the United States gave up none of its rights over the mandated islands, and all domestic questions were excluded from the treaty’s 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. This was rejected by 65 to 28. The votes approving of the treaty articles were as follow: First article, 74 to 15; second, 66 to 28; third, 67 to 26; fourth (providing for scrapping the AngloJapanese Alliance, 73 to 8. Senator Johnston’s amendment was reintroduced as a reservation, but was defeated by 63 to 29. Senator Johnston was the mover of 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. This was defeated by 64 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 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 to 26. Senator Pomeren’s substitute for Senator Brandegee’s reservation, providing that any adjustment reached under articles one and two must be approved by Congress before binding the United States, was defeated by 78 to 10. Senator Brandegee’s reservation states that the United States understands that 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 signatories or not, whose interests were 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 twelve Democrats voted for the treaty, and four Republicans and twenty-three Democrats voted against it. Following on the ratification of the Pacific Treaty, Senator Lodge urged the Senate to take an immediate vote on the supplementary treaty eliminating Japan’s homeland from the scope of the former.

Senator Robinson. Leader of the Opposition, objected on the ground that Senators had no opportunity to study it. Senator Lodge then consented to its postponement till tomorrow. The Naval Reduction Treaty will be next considered.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.

Washington, March 24. The Senate ratified the Pacific Treaty by 67 votes to 27, including the Brandegee reservation, which was adopted by 90 vote* to 2.

The Senate defeated all the amendments and approved separately four of the treaty articles. The opposition then introduced fifteen reservations, delaying the final vote. i 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 adjusting differences among other nations, was defeated by 74 votes to 13. Renatois Reed’« amendment that “any nation refusing to concur in any understanding should not be bound by such an understanding,” was defeated by 62 votes to 29.

Further amendments moved by Senator Reed, that no nation is under obligation to do any act of war. that any signatory may withdraw after giving one year’s notice, and that the treaty be limited to ten years, were all defeated.

Among the reservations proposed are the following by La Follette, prohibiting the renewal of the Anglo-Japanese ■Alliance during the life of the present treaty, stating that it is the United States’ intention to grant the Philippines independence within ten years, and binding other nations to respect the territorial integrity of the islands. The first vote in the Senate to-day concerned Senator Robinson’s amendment to the Pacific Treaty, providing that each contracting party 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 reservation. A flood of reservations was introduced before the voting began. Senator La Follette introduced six, one providing for the abrogation of any existing treaties inconsistent with the present one, another providing that no other treaties relative to the Pacific be made by any of the signatory Powers without the consent of the others. The other La Follette reservations have already been cabled. LONG DISCUSSIONS LIKELY. A SENSATIONAL THEORY. Received March 26, 11.15 p.m. Washington, March 25. It now appears likely that several days will be spent over long discussions bn the supplementary treaty excluding Japan’s mainland from the provisions of the Pacific Treaty. Senator Lodge had hoped for ratification within a few hours, but Senator Hitchcock produced « new sensation by declaring that the adoption of the Pacific Treaty was il!eg»l> since th? supplementary treaty I *was like the codicil of a will, and the

ratification of one without the other was void. The promise a sharp debate.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. AN INCONSEQUENTIAL RESERVATION. Received March 26, 5.5 p.m. Tokio, March 25. It is officially declared that Japan has no objection to the Brandegee reservation regarding the Pacific Treaty, the Government regarding it as inconsequential.