The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1921-12-14
FOUR GREAT
POWERS BACK
PEACE PLAN
Big Four. Nations
Agree to Preserve
Peace in Waters Of
the Pacific

w aSQ1nStOU, lee. 1V.-T<A, HS"
quadruple agreement to preserve
peace in the waters of the Pacific
was announced to the world today
by the United States, Great Britain,
Japan and France.
AS a consideration Of the inter-
national realignment Great Britain
and Japan agreed to consign to the
scrap heap the Anglo-Japanese al
lance, long viewed with apprehen-
sion in both America and Asia.
The provisions Of the agreement,
which is in the form Of ten-year
treaty. are confined to ''the region
of The Pacific ocean," Under them
the four powers are to respect each
others island possessions and to
meet in consultation if dispute
arises or If the rights of any Of the
four are threatened by any other
power.
Announcement of the treat
terms was made at a plenary session
of the arms conference by Senator
Lodge, of the American delegation,
and was followed by expressions Of
approval by the plenipotentiaries of
Great Britain, France, Japan, Italy.
China, Belgium, The Netherlands
and Portugal
To be binding on the United
States the treaty must be ratified
by the senate, several of whose
members withheld comment to-
night pending a further study of
the text. Open war was declared
on it by some of the s.irreconcilable
group" of the Versailles treaty
fight, but Republican leaders and
some Democrats declared ratifica-
ton was certain.
The signatures Of the representa-
i tives Of the powers have not yet
been affixed to the document, and
there is an intimation that they
may be withheld until the question
of naval ratio has been settled def
initely. The naval situation re-
mains unchanged pending word
from Toxic, but there is general
confidence. that approval of the
American 1858" plan viii be made
unanimous in the very near fu-
ture.
In lieu of signature, the, pricci-
pal delegates have put their initials
|. on the official copy of the treaty
and Senator Lodge said tonight
that this act of affirmation was ito
be interpreted as meaning that the
document. has been approved to
all intents and purposes
The treaty agreement is expected
in itself to hasten decision not
only on the naval ratio but on all
the other issues before the arms
conference. The delegates believe
they are over the top of the hill,
and British spokesman went SO
far tonight as to characterize to-
days session as practical the
breakup of the conference SO far
as major considerations are con-
cerned.
One of the first impulses OF
some Of the senators was to COM
pare and contrast the treaty with
the league Of nations covenant
which SO lately was the center Of a
bitter senate fight. BY an official
spokesman of the American dele
cation it was pointed out tonight
that a feature of the covenant on
which attack was concentrated is
omitted from the four-power peace
agreement. In Article x, of the
, league, the members agreed to re
spect and preserve" each others
territorial integrity. but in the new
treaty the pledge is to respect
territorial rights in the Pacific.
The omission of the guarantee
to preserve" the integrity Of for
eign nations is declared by the
American delegates to constitute
an all-important distinction be-
tween an alliance and a compact
foi peaceful solution Of future con-
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