Evening star., 1921-12-11
HENRY CABOT LODGE
For the United States.

nave VC0u ~ oSN ~SS -
of the great powers Of the earth
in REGARD to the islands Of the
Pacific, which they control. either
as possessions or domintona
will begin by reading to tho con-
ference the treaty. which 10 both
brief and simple. and yet am sure
is full Of meaning and importance
to the worlds peace. (senator
Lodge here read the text Of the
treaty printed above.)
The signing of this treaty 10. on
the part Of the United States. sub
1ect to the making of q convention
with Japan concerning the status
Of tho Island Of Yap and what are
termed tho mandated islands in the
Pacific ocean north OF tho equator.
the negotiations in regard to which
are almost concluded. and also 70
the reservations with respect to
what are termed the mandated
Islands in the Pacific ocean south
of the equator.
It should also be observed that
the controversies to which the pro-
posed treaty refers do not embrace
questions which. according to prin-
cfples OF international law. lie ex-
clusively within the domestic juris-
diction Of the respective powers:
1.-The conference will perceive
that spoke correctly when re-
ferred to the terms Of the treaty
as simple. To put 1t in 4 few
words, the treaty provides that the
four signatory powers will aG1eo
as between themselves to respect
their insular possessions and Do
minicns in the region Of the P8.
cific, and that IL any controversy
should arise as to such rights ~
the high contracting parties sAan
be invited to joint conferences
looking to the adjustment of such
controversy. They agree to take
similar action in the case of ~.
gression by any other power upon
these insular possessions or do
minions. The agreement is to re-
main in force for ten years, and
after ratification under the oea.
stitutional methods Of the high
agreement between Great Britain
and Japan. which was concluded at
London on July Is. 1911. shall ter
inmate. And that Is all. Each
signer is bound to, respect the
rights of the others and before
taking action in any controversy
to consult with them. There is no
provision for the use Of force to
carry out any Of the terms of the
naval sanction turks anywhere in
the background or under cover Of
these plain and direct clauses.
Tho surest way to prevent war IL
to remove the causes Of war. This
vs. an attempt to remove causes Of
war over & great area Of the
globes surface by reliance upon
the good faith and honest inten.
tions Of the nations which sign
the treaty, solving all differences
through the processes Of diplomacy
and joint consideration and con-
ciliatton. No doubt we shall hear
it said that the region to which
this agreement applies Is one most
unlikely to give birth to serious
disputes. and. therefore. an agree.
ment Of this character is Of little
has shown that there is no corner
Of the earth so remote or so value.
less that 1t 10 not capable Of giving
cause for controversy or even for
war between the tribes and the EG.
tions OF mankind. But tho isla.aD
Of the Pacific. although remote
from the dwelling places OF tho
mass Of humanity, are far from
valueless.
The islands Of the southwestern
Pacific extend over a vast space Ia
that great ocean. They reach from
the MarQuesas on the east to the
Philippines on the west: from the
Alsutian Islands on the north near.
1y to the Antarctic Circle on the
south; They are far more numss:
do not know what the total mum.
Der is. but am Informed as to the
Philippines. and 1t appears that
this group alone contains more
thsn 3,100 islands. Of which 1000
have names. We have all prob.
ably heard Of the remark Of Rob-
ert Louis Stevenson, when. on
leaving one Of the Pacific islands.
Samoa He replied that he should
just 60 out and turn to the left.
These islands are. comparatively
speaking, 80 dense that we might
describe them in the words OF
Browning as the
Lily On lily that o'erlace the sea-
And yet the region through
which they are scattered is 30 vast
that the isles Of Greece and the
Aegean sea, SO famous in history
and in poetry, could easily be lost
therein and continue unnoticed ex-
adventurers. They range from
Australia. continental in magni.
tude. to atolls where there are no
dwellers but the builders Of the
coral reefs or lonely rocks mark.
ing the peaks Of mountains which
rise up from the oceans floor
touch the air. 70 the western and
the eastern world alike most Of
the islands OF the southwestern
Pacific are little known. There
still fingers about them the charm
30 compelling and 80 fascinating
which an undiscovered country has
for the sons Of men who are weary
Of main travelled roads and the
trampled highways Of trade and
commerce which cover the surface
ef the patient earth.
Upon these islands still shines
the glamor Of romance in the sto-
ries Of Melville and the writings
Of Robert Louis Stevenson, to
grave and . monument impsrish.
able a. his own fame. But the Pa.
ciflc islands are much more than
this. They possess certain quail.
ties other than natural beauty and
romantic charm. which to many
minds are more enticing. The
larger ones are rich in many ways,
fertile In the gifts Of soil and cli-
mate and in other forms Of riches
desired by men, which extend from
the untold mineral resources Of
Australia to the pearls which are
brought from the depths Of the
ocean. There are among. them all
great areas Of forest and Of plain
at for the support and prosperity
Of civilised man. In . word they
have q very great material value,
largely undeveloped. and where
this condition exists the desires OF
men will enter and conflicting hui
man desires, have throughout re.
corded history Seen breeders Of
war.