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Show igSDENT pLANS WAYTOAIUROP HARDING HAS I OWN PROGRAM I FOR PROBLEMS 1 iTo Pass Borah Amendment Will Embarrass Me, Executive Ex-ecutive Says NEGOTIATIONS ON H President Silent On What ' Is Being Done "To Be Helpful" WASHINGTON, Dec 28. During an Interlude today In the delivery of set speeches in the senate for and against the Borah economic and armament arm-ament conference proposal. Senator Borah remarked that he fully realized what "Is going to hapr-cs to it." 1 know what I hope is going to happen to It " interjected Senator Johnson, Republican, California, who stool with Senator Borah in the treaty of Versailles fight and on many other questions, but who has parted company with h.m OB ih? conference con-ference proposal. "I expet t the senator's hopes will be realized." rejoined Senator Borah sharply. "I certainly trust they win be," promptly returned Senulor Johnson. They are the same hopes the senator sen-ator of Idaho has entertained with respect to such proposals In the pas: ' WASHINGTON. Dec 28 President Harding informed the senate today that action by it on Senator Borah's plan for an economic and disarmament disarma-ment conference was not advisable in view of what the executive branch of the government already Is doing "to be helpful." Just what the steps already taken or in contemplation by the administration adminis-tration may be, however, tho president did not reveal. He paid members of ongJ ess could learn If they Inquired in the proper way, but that state department de-partment communications on so delicate deli-cate a subject "obviously could not be bulletined from day to day." "If congress really wants to be helpful.'' help-ful.'' he added, "It might well free th-.' hand" of tho debt tjndlng commission commis-sion which under tho act creating It. cannot alter tho Interest terras Or dato of payment of the war debts. LODGE PRESENTS LETTER. Senator Bodge presented tho president's presi-dent's letter Immediately after the i senate conv ened and the reading of it I by a clerk w as listened to alternatively alterna-tively by senators on both sides of the chamber. Senator Borah noted on a pad of I paper the high spots of tho communication communi-cation and smiled broadly at tho president's presi-dent's declaration that the proposed amendment would in effect give the impression that the exccutlvo branch of the government was not "fully alive" to the present world situation 'and that congress could facllltato the I work of the debt commission "by frce- lng the h inds of that body." Senator McNary. Republican; Ore-gon. Ore-gon. gained the floor after the letter 'had been read and began an address In behalf of the Borah proposal, which the championed as a measure likely to k aid the Ameilcan farmer by restoring I I Europe and Increasing European pui -! chases of American agricultural pro-i pro-i ducts. ISOLATION OPPOM l ! n active member of the senate . farm bloc. Senator McNary declared his opposition to an American policy df "Isolation ' although he said he knew hl.s views would rouse what he termed (Contlmirsi on Page Two) uu HARDING HAS OWN PROGRAM FOR PROBLEMS (Continued From Pago One) the "international statesmen bloc of the senate." "I shall never know," said Senator McNnry, "whether it was the Stub-bornness Stub-bornness of our distinguished president, presi-dent, Woodrow Wilson, the perversity of the able senator from Massachusetts, Massachu-setts, Mr. Lodge, or the eloquence of the lrreconcllables that prevented the ratification of the Versailles treaty, yet I shall always think, as a mild res-crvatlonlst, res-crvatlonlst, that much of tho unres: and hatred existing among the nations at this time would not have occurred if this treaty containing the covenant of tho league of nations, with the Lodge reservations had been ratified " FAVORS BORAH PLAN. Senator McXary said the Borah; amendment would not obligate Amer-j lea to any aggressive nor defensive military action nor precipitate the nation na-tion into any political maelstrom. "It would be a step," he said, "to re-cstablishment re-cstablishment of European trade. Hej suggested that Gwman reparations should bo reduced and that Increased trade with Europe was needed moro by American farmers than the pending pend-ing farm credits legislation Senator ixdgo later told the senate that he could not state "explicitly" the nature of the administration negotiations negotia-tions lor a nanfaMne Knf wua i- thorlzed to say that they did not Include In-clude cancellation of the allied debt lio said President Harding told h'm the administration was opposod to cancellation, can-cellation, but inclined to favor longer amortization and Interest payments. TEXT OF HOTTER The president's letter follows: "My dear Senator Lodge: "Replying to your Inquiry relative to the proposed amendment to the. pending naval bill, authorizing and requesting re-questing the president to call an economic eco-nomic conferenco to deal with conditions condi-tions In the war-torn nations ot Eu-j Eu-j ropo, 1 write to say that 1 know of no prohibition against such an expression expres-sion on the part of the congress, but I do frankly question tho desirability of such an expression 1 think It Is I undesirable because of false Impressions Impres-sions which may be conveyed thereby to Europe, und even more undesirable because of the wrong impression it conveys to our own people. REFLECTION ON PRESIDENT "On the face of things it is equivalent equiva-lent to saying that the executive branch of the government which is charged with the conduct of foreign relations Is not fully alive to a world situation which is of deep concern to tbi i nlted States. "As a matter of fact the European situation has been given most thorough thor-ough and thoughtful consideration for many months. Without questioning the good faith of the proposal, I am very suro it would have boen more seomly .and the action of the congrose could be taken much more Intelligently if proper inquiry had been made of the state department relative to the situation In which we are trvlng to bo helpful. "Of necessity, tho communications of the state department relative to delicate matters among nations cannot be bulletined from day to day but tho situation is never withhold from members mem-bers of congress who choose to inquire in-quire for confidential Information In a spirit of co-operation. Such Inquiry would have revealed tho futility of any conferenco call until it is understood that such a conferenco would bo welcomed wel-comed by the nations concerned, within with-in the limits of discussion which the expressed will of congress compels this government to impose. HOW CONGRESS CAN HELP "In ratifying the treaty of peace with Germany, the senate made a reservation res-ervation that the United States should not be represented on tho reparations j commissions without consent of the congress, and no such consent ha, jbcen given. Moreover, in creating tho world war debt funding commission, that body was restricted to explicit t'rms for rates of lntorest and ultimate ulti-mate time of payment. If congress really means to facilitate the task of the government in dealing with the European situation, the first practical etep would be to free the hands of the commission so that helpful negotiations nego-tiations may be undertaken "It is qulto generally accepted that tho adjustment of the question of reparations rep-arations must underllr any economic rehabilitation of Europe, and reparations repara-tions cannot be settled without tho consent of governments concerned. Tho United States cannot assume to say to one nation what It shall pay In reparations nor to another nation what It shall accept "In discussions with foreign governments gov-ernments tin' previous" administration and the present administration have instated that the question of European debts to tho United States Is distinct and apart from the question of reparations, repara-tions, but Europeans hold a contrary view, ond It is wholly inconsistent to invite a conference for the consideration considera-tion of questions, in dealing with whkh the government is denied all authority au-thority by act of congress. "So far as the limitation of land I armaments Is concerned, then seems I to be at this time no more promising I prospect of accomplishment than I when a conference was held in Washington Wash-ington a year ago. Hero, again, I venture to warn the senate against tho suggestion to our own people or a gesture ges-ture of promise to the world which cannot bo fulfilled until the nations directly concerned express thiir readiness readi-ness to co-operato to such an end. "With rospect to a limitation of auxiliary types of naval craft, which are not limited by the present navy treaty, It 1b to be said that such an agreement is much to be desired, whenever practicable, but we may reasonably rea-sonably postpone our further endeavors endeav-ors along that line until the agreo-nunts agreo-nunts made at the Washington conference con-ference secure the final sanction of all governments concerned. "Very' truly yours, "Warren G. Harding." |