The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1921-12-10
SANCTION OF PACT
Is ASSURED, SAYS
WICKHAM STEED
Believes Senate Will Very
Quickly Affirm the
Farley Action.
By WICKHAM STEED.
Editor of London Times.


When this conference is over Sir
Maurice Hankey. secretary general
to the British delegation. might
write an essay upon the high-speed
process in international delibera-
tons. 1t would form a useful APP
pendix to his well-known lecture |
on Diplomacy by Conference
The virtue of the Washington
conference is that it is proving, If
II has not already proved, the value
Of well-defined policy on linn
tied agenda. and of a clear state
ment at the outset of the lengths
to which the converting power is
prepared to go, after just consid-
GRAFTON Of the interests of others,
in order to secure the objects in
view. When a good pace is thus
set. intriguers and wreckers have
no time to mature their plans. They
are constantly left painting by the
roadside while the conference trots
forward. Hence the respondent
Calculations. audible in some quar-
tiers, that things are moving too
swiftly.
Senate sanction Predicted.
They are moving swiftly. BY this
time the final touches have prob
ably been put to the quadruple
Pacific agreement, which yesterday
was so far completed that 1t needed
little more than punctuation. Fore
casts of the attitude of the Senate
toward il seem to confirm anticipa-
tons that, when its exact terms and
true Character are revealed, the
Senate will be unlikely to withhold
or even delas assent
The assurances publicly and Off
cislly given to Congress in the
Presidents recent address have, 1t
appears. been supplemented by pri-
yate messages from the VIII tie
House that have tended to allay
any apprehensions Senators may
have felt. Besides, the reputation
that has been created for the SEN
ate as a recalcitrant and eminently
unreasonable body requires sub
sanitation.
Alive to Possibilities,
As far as my personal experience
OF United States Senators goes, l
should say they are no VIII { less
alive to the great possibilities OF
the Washington conference than are
the mass of their fellow-citizens.
When once they feel convinced that
their rights are not being ignored
or overridden, and that no ma
tional interest is being endangered,
they probably will be found eager
to put the seal of their approval
UPON a historic work, that will re-
dound to the lasting credit of their
country.
Good progress was made yester-
day with the consideration of the
Chinese question. After the Chi
nese spokesman, DIR. wellington
KOO. had been caressed by Mr.. Bal
four 'nto perceivinS some of the
applications of the Chinese de-
mandS. and Mr. Hughes had sup
ported Mr.. Balfour's remarks, Sir
Auckland Geddes proposed a reso-
luton which, with the approval of
France, Italy and Japan, was ulti-
mately adopted.
Agree to Root Principles.
With reference 10 the four prin-
ciples originally drafted by Mr.. Root
and adopted in the Far Eastern
committee. the resolution declared
in the name of the nine Pacific
powers lie, including China) that
1T is their intention not to enter
nto any treaty, agreement, arrange
nent or understanding either with
one another or individually or COL
ectively with any power or powers
which would infringe OF impair the
principles" adopted at the instance
Of Mr.. Root.
The effect of this resolution is
20 preclude arrangements detri-
mental to China. such as have been
repeatedly made by Chinese govern
ments with other powers. II is a
step forward in the direction Of
clearing away arrangements re-
speeding special spheres Of interest
which cumber the ground.
VIII Abandon Spheres,
On behalf of the British govern
nent. Mr.. Balfcur reiterated the as
surance that "as far as Great Britain
was concerned. spheres of interest
are a thing of the past. The British
government has not the slightest
wish to prolonE a situation which.
for its part, has already been ex-
plicitly abandoned" Mr.. Balfour.
however. recommended China her
self to adopt an even more fruitful
method of overcoming her Difficult
ties-to create a pure and vigorous
administration. All that the confer
ence could do was TO see that no
undue limitations. no limitations not
necessitated by the facts OF the sit
uation, were placed on China's SOW
o-of1, indeDendence and tn ri w.