Great Falls tribune., 1922-01-11
INDIVIDUAL
SUB AND GAS
PACT URGED
Fortification Areas in
Pacific Another Five
Power Echo.
Otherwise Naval Deal Is
in Good Shape for Par
ley Adoption.

Washington, Jan. 1O.-tBy The AS
sociate-l Pres. Except for details OF
the Pacific Notifications agreement and
half dozen lesser questions Of phrase
ology, the five-power naval limitation
treaty was put into final form Tuesday
at a conference of the heads Of the
American, British, japanese, French
and Italian delegations.
The question of geographical scope
= was understood to be the chief point
unsettled in the fortifications status
quo" in the Pacific The japanese were
said to have agreed tentatively to an
American. draft of the article but to
have deferred final action until they
communicated with Toxic.
AS result Of this development and
other details Of final drafting. some
delegates predicted that the full naval
committee would not be called to ac-
count on the treaty before Thursday or
Friday and that no plenary session
would be held until next week. There
was consequent pOstponement OF ten
tative sailing arrangements for the for
eign delegations with indications that a
majority believed the conference would
last until late in January.
Article 10 Raises Question
Tuesdays discussions are understood
to have revealed q growing inclination
to exclude the submarine and poison
gas resolutions from the naval treaty
and make them the subject of sep.
arate agreement Whether they will
take the form of anH.her treaty. or will
be attached as an annex TO the I'VE
power pact was not finally decided, but
the impression of many delegates that
they did not properly belong in the same
instrument with the provisions for ton
mage limitation.
The five delegation heads came to-
getber to discuss the naval treaty
Tuesday, after each national group had
met separately and completed detailed
study of the text begun Monday. After
a three-hour session the big five ad-
iourned to meet again Wednesday In
agreement so far as policy was con-
cerned on all provisions except article
10. relating 70 the Pacific fortifica-
tions. A halA dozen other articles, 1t
was said. remained to be finally cast
into legal phraseology but. none seemed
to present any considerable difficulties.
The question arising over Article ~
is said to relate to determination OF
the status under the Notifications
agreement of certain small japanese
islands lying to the southwark of the
principal japanese group. Whether
these islands are to be included in
the territory within which no further
Notifications can be erected, was not
clearly defined when the agreement
first was effected. Confidence was ex-
pressed in japanese circles, however, |
that Toxic would approve promptly
by them Tuesday.
SO far as it's principal features are
concerned there has been no change |
in the fortifications settlement as it |
was drawn up in conjunction with the |
American. British, japanese agreement |
on the 5-5-3 capital ship ratio. Hawaii |
remains exempt from the status quo" ,
provision, but Guam is included. The |
problem of determining. its exact
geographical sApe in ether areas of
the Pacific is one which is recognized /
to be of primary interest to the United |
States and Japan and the representa-
tives of the other powers have in
dicatcd their readiness to accept any
arrangement that may be worked out
by these two.
Separate Pacts for Law Changes
To support the suggestion for a
agreement regarding sub
marines and poison gas, it is argued
that these subjects not only are but
related to problems of tom
mage limitation but that the resolutions
adopted by the naval committee on
submarines and gas warfare constitute
attempts to change existing interna-
tional law and. therefore. Should not
be bound up with the fundamentally
different instrument which is to en-
body the naval limitation contract.
BY many delegates. it is believed
likely that the separate agreement
will include also the resolution for
creation Of q commission to study
The problem Of regulating. aerial war
fare.
1t is possible. in addition, that it
may embody a general declaration Of
principles. cast in the broadest terms
in regard to land aramments. While
the japanese wal. for a reply from
Toxic, the five delegation heads will
work Wednesday on the several an
1exes attached to the treaty. These
include the chart detailing how and
when requirements are to be made in
h capital ship fleets, a subject ON
which the delegations are agreed in
principle but whose precise terms
,eyer have come up. Should the "big
i've" deliberations result in an agree
nent on all but Article 10, it is pos
ible that the naval committee may Y
70 called for late Wednesday. IL