Ratification

The Senate ratified the Washington Naval Treaty by a vote of 287 to 3; the Quadruple Pacific Treaty was ratified unanimously without debate. Both treaties had previously passed the Chamber. (TIME, July 16.)

There was little discussion on the first treaty as most of the Senators voted by proxy on account of the great heat.

M. Raiberti, Senator and Minister of Marine: "The triumvirate of the great Powers discussed above all the supremacy of the seas. France has never supported a theory other than for liberty of the seas, and she now wants to show her former allies a new expression of fraternal confidence. We must reconstitute our marine, but this effort must be proportionate to our financial capabilities."

Among those who demurred against ratifying the treaty was Senator Lemery. "The Washington accord is merely to make certain the impoverishment of our fleet. England keeps the mastery of the world where she has naval bases, while the United States has the new world and a large part of the Pacific. Japan shares with these two Powers mastery of the world's waters."

The Government was forced to accept the view of Senator Guilloteaux before it could obtain ratification: "So far as the Senate is concerned, we will not admit that the limitation on capital ships shall be imposed upon the auxiliary fleet, and we consider the Washington Treaty only temporary, to be extended only by tacit mutual consent. Moreover, we will not permit our country to be deprived, in any circumstances, of submarines, which are indispensable to our defense!"