The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1922-02-04
DEFINITE
RESULTS OF
CONFERENCE
Treaties Prescribing
n av al Limitation
and Prohibition OF
Unrestricted Sub
marine w arfar e
Adopted in Plenary
Session

Washington. Feb. / (By the AS
sociated Press) The Washington
negotiations for limitation OF ar
mament reached their consumma-
ton today when a plenary session
Of the arms conference gave def1-
mite public approval to the two
treaties limiting navies and re-
stricting the use Of new agencies oi
warfare.
One of the covenants thus seal
cd after II weeks OF debate es-
tablishes Il fixed ratio OF capital
ship strength between the fivc
great powers. and the other pledges
them against unrestricted subma-
rinc warfare and use Of poison
gas. Within a day or two the plen.
ipotcn1iaries Of the United States
Great Britain. Japan, France ana
italy will formally atiiX their sig
natures.
At the same session the Far East
ern wing OF the conference moved
forward toward completion Of its
tasks by announcing officially the
terms Of the Shantung settlement
and by giving final approval to
nine of the resolutions adopted in
committee in regard to Chinese
problems. Tile agreement on Shan
tunS already has been put into Il
draft treaty between Japan and
China and the other Far Eastern
settlements are to be embodied in
at least two general conventions
which will come before the con-
ference shortly.
AS soon as Japan's intention to
withdraw from ShantunS had been
definitely stated. the British an
nouuccd formally for the first time
that their government was ready to
hand back to China the lease hold
of ci-Hai-W'ci. The French let
it be known tonight. however. that
they expected to treat directly with
China over possible retirements
from their leased territory at
kwangchow Wan. decision which
appeared to cloud the prospect Of
any Gencrnl conference agreement
regarding .hc Chinese leased terri
tories.
Two other conference projects.
one relating to the Chinese Eastern
railway and the other to the pro-
hi'otion Of importation of arms into
China. also encountered serious OBJ
staclcs when the committee work
Of the delegates was resumed late
today The .Japapesv made some
technical objections to the Chinese
Eastern proposal which. coupled
with Chinese and French oppo-
sition to some features. resulted in
appointment of q Japancse-French.
Chinese subcommittee to cosider q
compromise. The Italians and
Japanese presented such pertinent
reservations to the arms impor-
tation resolution that it was vir-
tually decided not to press it for
adoption.
The five power naval limitation
treaty. whose text was made public
FOR tho first time with its sub
mission to today's plenary session.
contained no surprises and was APP
proved by the conference without
general discussion. It's terms. which
had been completely forecast by
published accounts Of the TcGotia-
tons. provide for u 5-5-3-l 81 IS
capital ship ratio for the United
States. Great Britain. Japan.
France and Italy. respectiely. i'm
poses various retrictionS on the
size and armament o. other type
Of " rcraft and establishes a fer
titica,ions status quo" in th" Pa
cilic.
In the separate submarine and
poison gas treaty an attempt Is
made to outlaw submarines as
commerce dcstroyers and to pro-
hibit chemical warfare altogether.
The language OF the conyention
follows almost exactly the terms
Of the Root resolutions adopted by
the armaments committee several
weeks ago.
Secretary Hughes presented the
naval limitation treaty 10 the con-
ference. and in Il speech of ~ min
utcs explained its provisions and
declared ii preserved without vi
tai change the American Limitation
proposal laid before the opening
mcetinS Of the conference 10y him
on November l.. He was followed
bt Albert Sarraut. head of the
French delegation. who diSclaiined
for his country The militariStic
purpose. he said, had been at
tributcd to it during the Washing
ton negotiations. and then the
roll Of the five powers was called
and unanimous approval Of I'll"
treaty given by mods OF the head
all around the table.
The submarine and poison gas
treaty was read by Elinu Root.
author OF th" proposals on which it
was based. The covenant. he said.
must rest for fulfllment upon the
humane public opinion OF the
world. which he trusted TO over
throw the predictions of the Gym
ical' that the rules laid down would
be violated whenever any power
in future found itself with its
back against the wall The only
other speech before the formal Vote
OF approval was made by Senator
Scha>z.r for Italy and voiced gen