Evening star., 1922-01-05
Barring of Attacks
on Merchantmen
Given Approval.
JAPANESE PREPARED
TO ACCEPT PRINCIPLE
Way Is Cleared for New
Meeting of Committee
On Limitation.
BY G. GOULD LINCOLN.

BN u. GUILD L1NNoLNs
The Washington conference. both
with regard to limitation of naval
armament and to questions Of the
far east, moved forward today.
The French delegation is now in a
position. it was indicated today. to
approve the proposal that cruisers and
other auxiliary ships except aircraft
carriers be limited in size to 10000
tons. and shall carry no guns larger
than eight-inch. The other four pow
ers already had agreed to this pro-
posal. and it was understood that the
French delegates would do the same
as soon as they received authority to
do so.
Accent In Principle.
The Italian delegation has received
instructions from Rome, it was an
ncunced today, with regard to the
Root proposal that submarines shall
be debarred from attacking merchant
vessels. They accept the proposal in
principle, just as the French have
done, but will follow the position of
the French in regard to reservations.
AS the Japanese are also prepared to
accept the Root submarine proposal
in principle, the way has been cleared
for another meeting of the full COM
mittee on Limitation of armament this
afternoon.
The committee on the far east. COM
posed of the delegates OF the nine
powers gathered here. met today after
a long interval. during which the
itation 1t had before IT the report OF
the Underwood subcommittee on Chi
nese tariffs, which it was expected to
approve.
NEGOTIATIONS to BE Resumed.
The conversations between the
Japanese and Chinese delegations
over the Shantung problem are to be
resumed this afternoon, the hour de-
pending. however, upon the time con-
sumed by the-meeting- OF the full
on limitation of arma-
ment. Before the far east committee
assembled this morning Mr.. Hanl-
hara, who has been conducting the
for Japan, in large part,
said that the situation regarding
Shantung had not changed, but ne
added that he saw no particular rea-
son to be pessimistic.
Japanese and Chinese delegates
continue to insist that the negotia-
tions regarding Shantung will Re Car
ried to a conclusion here, nCtwith-
standing the reports that the Japa-
nese have succeeded IN prevailing
upon the Peking government to ac-
cept their terms, acting directly in
Peking.
Japanese Make Overtures.
The negotiations over Shantung
were resumed last evening after two
weeks waiting. at the instance of the
Japanese, it was said, who believed
that the time was ripe" for continu-
ing the conversations. After a two
hour meeting. however. an adjourn
ment was taken until today, with
both sides insisting they still stood
FIRM regarding the Shantung railroad,
which is the principal bone of con-
tention in the whole Shantung matter.
The "admirals' committee" as the
committee of naval experts is known,
met again today to continue its work
ON lGCHHlCdl ucldlfS VI lHe COIHluS
treaty on Limitation of naval arma-
ment. The committee will lay it's re-
port before the full committee on linn
itation Of armaments as soon as
possible.
Course I'm Case OF War Up.
One matter which must be decided,
it was said today, is what shall be
the course Of the other powers agree
ing to the naval Limitation in the
event that one of the five should
become engaged in a war with an
outside power and begin building war
ships, and also what shall be the
course of the other three in case two
of the powers in the agreement
should engage in a war with each
other, and begin building beyond the
limits set.
The discussion of the Root SUBJ
marine proposal debarring submarines
from use against merchant vessels,
it was expected today, would lead to
considerable discussion. notwithstand-
ing the willingness of the French,
Italians and Japanese to accept the
proposal in principle. The Italians
were among the first to call attention
to the fact that there should be some
definition of what a merchant vessel
is. If the Root proposal is to be
adopted.
1t was pointed out that merchant
vessels might be armed with heavy
guns, quite capable of sinking sub
marine, and that if the submarine
was to be debarred from attacking
q merchant vessel, then it should not
be put In jeopardy of being sunk by
q merchant vessel.
British to Continue Preparatious.
The British, SO far have taken the
position that while submarines con-
tinue to be in existence, they must
take whatever precautions they see
fit agains them, even to the arming
of merchant vessels against them.
They refer to the lesson they learned
when Germany violated international
law, and sank merchant vessels and
their crews by submarine attack.
II the conference has found it possible
to limit the size of guns on cruisers and
battles1ips, 1t was suggested today. then
1t should also find 1t possible to limit
the size of guns which a merchant ves-
sci may carry.
Another suggestion was that, II the
Root resolution is adopted declaring sub
marines from attacking the merchant
man, then an equally stringent rule
should be adopted debarring merchant
vessels from firing upon submarines.
The question as to whether submarines
are to be used in a blockade Of a port
also viii be brought up. 1t Is understood: