New-York tribune., 1921-12-17
Pledges Show
act Bars Any
Use Of Force
Continued from page out)

tary action by the signatory powers,
Jointly or separately. Such an occa-
sion might even arise from the ag-
gression of a power not named in the
treaty upon some other power not
nameA in the treaty and the United
States might decide at such time to
employ its navy and its army to re-
press the sggressor.
This it might do without any treaty,
as it did in entering upon the war with
Germany. 1t is incredible that, even
if the United States had not been at
tackled by Germany, this country would
Fhayo refrained from military interven-
tion ii in the course of the recent war
the imperial German government had
invaded Canada and taken possession
OF its soil.
Mutual Respect Insured
1t is, therefore. sopnistical for any
one to say that conditions might arise
in the Pacific Ocean which, if this
treaty were ratified, would involve this
uation in war, and, therefore, it should
not be ratified. 1t is impossible for
human foresight to know what condi-
tions may yet arise in that ocean which
would render it necessary for the
navy there, or elsewhere, either With
a treaty or without it,
The chief matter deserving OF con-
sideration in connection with the rati-
fication of this treaty is the effect of
the treaty upon war and peace in the
Pacific. Admittedly, its terms contain
no engagement in any conditions to use
armed force On the contrary, they
provide for mutual respect by the sig
natories for one anothers rights and
for the adjustment, by joint confer
ence, of controversies that may arise.
They open pathway to mutual under
standing and reciprocal confidence.
And, since these four signatories are
the chief powers in the Pacific Ocean
whose rights may be, or appear to be,
in conflict, the agreement removes at
one stroke the major probabilities of
war. This is the clear purport Of Ar
ticle l.
AS regards the .'aggressive action q
any other power" with which Article
III is concerned, the exposure to such
danger as prevailed when the Anglo
japanese alliance was first formed does
not now eX st.
Outside the four powers signatory
Of this treaty there are no powers in
the Pacific Ocean that can be classed
as naval powers, and it is only naval
powers that require to be taken into
account SO far as the purposes Of this
treaty are concerned.
No ComDulsion to Agree
The reference to possible "aggres-
sive action by any other power is
OF the treaty, and is intended to answer
the question as to what would happen
if some other power should fail to re
spect the rights which the signatories
Of the treaty agree to respect.
The answer is simple and direct.
The four powers agree that they would
Communicate with one another fully
and frankly in order to arrive at an
understand as to the most efficient
measures to be taken, jointly and sep
arately, to meet the exigencies of the
particular situation
1t is not possible to extort from this
agreement a pledge to anything be-
yond an understanding" in which all
compulsion to agree. 1t is true that
measures to meet the ex .gencies of the
particular situation are the subject of
this understanding, but there is no i'm
plication of warlike measures. 1t has
been authoritatively stated that mo
military or naval sanction turks any
where in the background or under
cover of these plain and direct
clauses" If war should follow it would
have to grow out Of the particular
situation" and not out of the obliga-
tions Of the treaty, and if tnerc were
in the situation good reasons for war
like action they would exist and be
equally effective if there were no
treaty
Provision to Avoid War
There is, however, in this agreement
provision for avoiding armed conflict
in case of aggression by another
power which would not be operatiyo if
the treaty did not exist. 1t has been
general, conceded that if there had
been full and frank discussion in
meeting of the chief European powers
when the Austrian ultimstum was sent
to Serbia in 1914 there would prob.