The Washington times., 1921-12-10
TREATY TO REPLACE ANGL0,JAP ALLIANCE

western Pacific are little known.
There still fingers about them the
charm 30 compelling and 20 fascinst-
ing which an undiscovered country
has for the sons Of men who are weary
OF min travelled roads and the tram
pied highways OF trade and commerce
which cover the surface of the pa
ttent earth.
Lure Treasure-Seekers.
upon these island still shines the
glamor OF romance In the stories OF
Melville and the writings Of Robert
Louis Stevenson, to whom the South
Seas gave both q grave and monu-
ment imperishable as his own fame.
But the Pacific islands are much
more than this. They possess certain
qualities 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 climate 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 TT for the support and
prosperity of civilized man. In q
word they have q very great material
value. largely undeveloped. and where
this condition exists. the desires OF
men will enter and conflicting human
desires have throughout recorded his
tory been breeders Of war.
Thus far the wastes of the Pacific
ocean with all the crowding islands,
except on the edges Of the Continents,
n W. M ~ vuyov-
and yet not many years have passed
since three great nations sent their
warships to Samoa because there was
a dispute In regard to those distant
islands.
Experiment In World Peace.
Therefore an agreement among
the nations controlling these islands
has q very serious importance to the
peace OF the world. we make the ex-
pertinent here In this treaty of trying
ion by trusting the preservation of its
tranquility to the good faith Of the
nations responsible for It,
The world has Just passed through
q war, the very memory Of which
makes us shudder. We all believe
deep in our hearts that this hideous
destruction OF life. this suffering and
ruin which still beset us, must not be
permitted to come again II we can pre-
vent II.
"If the nations Of the earth are
still In the innermost recesses of their
consciousness planning or dreaming Of
coming wars and longing for con-
guests, no treaties Of partition. and no
alliances can stay them; but IL, az l
firmly hope. the world has learned a
frlghtful lesson from the awful ex-
periences of the great war Of 1914. then
our surest appeal In order to prevent
wars In the future must be to the
and the higher impulses of mankind.
Such an appeal we make today by
this agreement among four great ma
tons. We rely upon their good faith
TIC carry out the terms Of this instru-
ment, knowing that by 80 doing they
WIN prevent war should controversies
ever arise among them.
IF this spirit prevails and rules
we can have no better support than
the faith of nations. For one, de-
believe the spirit OF the
world Is ruch that we can trust 70 the
good faith and the high purposes which
the treaty I have laid before you en-
bodies and enshrines.
World Changed by Last War.
:. Agreements of this kind. I know.
have often been made before, only to
.ail. But there has been a far
l eaching change in the mental con.
iition of men and women everywhere.
That which really counts Is the in
.ention Of the nations who make the
agreement. In this hour of trial and
darkness which has followed the war
with Germany, the spirit of the world
is no longer the same. II we enter
Upon this agreement. which rests only
upon the will and honor of those who
sign 1t, we at least make the great
women Of the nations to help us sus-
tain 1t In spirit and in truth"
In the same colorful setting that
witnessed the projection of Americas
startling naval proposals a month ago.
he armament conference met again
,oday in open session.
Air Of Tense Expectancy.
There was an air Of tense expectancy
n the great square room when the
session got under way-expectancy
that this session would be even more
important historically than was the
one four weeks ago.
Members Of both houses Of Congress
filled the galleries, eager to get the
first inkling of the scope of the ex-
pected pact between the four great
powers. Diplomats and members of
the diplomatic colony largely COM
prised the rest of the audience.
Mrs. Harding, accompanied by a
number Of women, filled the Prcsi-
Dental box.
AS in the case Of previous meetings,
he principal actors were slow in COM
ng upon the stage, while the hands OF
he clock moved slowly in the direc-
zion Of IL n. m.
Hughes Opens Proceedings.
Secretary Of State Hughes opened
today's historic session with an an.
.,ouncement that satisfactory pro-.
gress" is being made in the adjust
,nent of Chinese problems.
II have the honor to report to the
that most satisfactory pro-
gress has been made In the work of
The committee appointed to deal with
Pacific and Far Eastern questions
he said.
a. 40