The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1922-02-09
ARMS CONFERENCE
Is NOW HISTORY
President Harding Closes Sessions
With Speech. Delegates Have Sail
ed For Home.

ed For Home.
Its covenants finally signed anc
sealed, the Washington conference
was passed on TO history Monday BY
President Harding as "an example e
imbue with new hope all that dwell in
apprehension"
Speaking before the final plenary
session in Continental Hall in Wash
ington the President declared the
record Of achievements voiced in cour-
ageous tones "the first deliberate and
effective expression Of great powers IN
the consciousness Of peace, of wars
utter futility."
Before him as he pronounced his ap-
praisement lay, newly signed, the
treaties by which the predominant ma
tions Of the world engage to put o
limit on their navies, TO guarantee q
new deal for China and to set up an
international concord to keep the peace
in the Pacific.
at matters little" said Mr.. Hard
ing, "what we appraise as the out
standing accomplishment. Any one OF
them alone would have justified the
conference. But the whole achieve
ment has so cleared the atmosphere
that il will seem like breathing the
refreshing air Of new morn OF prom
Use.
at may be that the naval holiday
here contracted will expire with the
treaties, but | do not believe IT, Those
Of us who live another decade are more
likely to witness a growth Of public
opinion, strengthened by the new ex-
perience, which will make nations
more concerned with living to the full
fillment Of Gods high intent than with
agencies Of warfare and destruction.
"Since this conference Of nations has
pointed with unanimity to the way of
peace today, like conferences in the
future, under appropriate conditions
and with. aims well conceived and def
mite, may illumine the highways and
byways Of human activity. The
torches Of understanding have been
lighted and they ought to glow and en-
circle the globe"
Four treaties and supplement to a
fifth were given final approval Mon
day. No other business remained and
the seventh and final plenary session
came to an end at 11:13 a. m. one hour
and IL minutes after it was called to
order.
In the order Of their signature, the
instruments to which the plenipoten-
tiaries affixed their names were the
four-power Pacific treaty supplement,
excluding the principal Japanese Is
lands from the scope of the pact; the
FIVE power naval limitation treaty; the
five-power submarine and poison gas
treaty; the nine-power general East
ern treaty, and the nine-power Chinese
tariff treaty. OF the three other
treaties resulting from the Washing
ton negotiations that relating to
Shantung was signed Saturday and
those dealing with cable rights in zap
and ALLEGATION Of the former German
Pacific cables, are yet TO be put into
final form by direct exchanges be-
tween the interested governments.
The four-power Pacific treaty was
signed December 18th.
The signing took place at the desk
Of the secretary-general, in the center
Of the great hollow square formed by
the U-shaped green baize table about
which all the plenary sessions Of the
conference were held.
Amid applause from the hundreds
who had crowded into Continental Hall
to see the wind-up Of the conference.
the American delegation filed around
the U-shaped table and into the hollow
square a few minutes after the session
began. One after another. Secretary
Senator Lodge, Senator IN
ierwood, and Elihu Root wrote their
names to the FIVE agreements, each
touching lightly, as a token Of ap-
proval, the seals already set opposite
he spaces left for his signature.
All Of the foreign delegates were
spplauded. too. as they came up in
urn 70 give the consummating ap-
1roval of their governments
Called rs alphabetical order the
British. Chinese. French, Ital-
an. japanese. Netherlands and Portu
zuese delegations followed the Ameri- .
ans. ud The hand clapp.Hr which fol-
owed earciuson ~ the ceremony
arceIy had begun . die out when it
vas renewed at the appearance q
10 fert Harding Many times dur
rv rs address he was applauded. and
rhen be finished the delegates and
.........-.- ..eae and feirra L. a. s,.--.