Cheraw chronicle. [volume] (Cheraw, S.C.) 1896-2005, 1922-02-16
Arms Conference Ends and Its
First Results Appear in an
Order by Denby.
STOPS WORK ON BIG SHIPS
Pope Plus xl Is Crowned In st. Pc
teIs 8asilica-Secretary Weeks
Shows Flaws in Ford's Muscle
Shoals Offer-DeVisng
Revenue for Soldiers
Bonus.
BY EDWARD w. PIckARD

\ CHIEVEMENTS of the conference
on armaments signalize new
era Of understanding in which prepar-
edness for war will yield to moral pre-
paredness for peace, said President
Harding to the delegates at their last
session on Monday.
"Your achievement Is supreme" he
continued, because no seed of conflict
has been sown; no reaction in regret or
resentment ever can justify resort to
arms. You have written the first de-
liberate and effective expression Of
great powers, In the conScientiOuSness
Of peace, Of wars utter futility, and
challenged the sanity OF competitive
preparation for each others destruc-
tion."
Although the President made no ref
erence directly to the hope he had pre-
viously expressed that an association
of nations would come from the con-
ference, he predicted continuance of
International discussion to carry for
ward the work.
Before Mr.. Harding made his ad-
dress the five treaties agreed upon by
the conference were formally signed.
and when the President concluded
Secretary of State Hughes declared
the conference adjourned sine die.
Now it is up to the United States
senate to put the stamp of approval
on the work accomplished by the con-
ference. President Harding indicated
that he would transmit to it without
delay the treaties, and the steering
committee Of the senate, which met
with him Tuesday evening, promised
that they should have the right Of way
until the tariff bill Is reported. The
debate probably will be prolonged, but
there seems little reason to doubt that
the treaties will be ratified.
The first tangible results Of the con-
ference appeared Wednesday, when
Secretary of the Navy DENLY, under
direction of the President, ordered the
suspension Of work on eight battle
ships and six battle cruisers now un-
der construction, pending final action
on the naval treaty. When the treaty
has been ratified the contracts for the
ships will be Cancelled. The building
operations stopped by Secretary Den
by's order have been costing the gov
ernment about S5,OO0,OO0 month. OF
the eight battleships, one will be COM
pleted later-either the West Virginia
or the Washington. The Colorado,
which Is almost completed and is not
included in the list, also will be fin
ished. Two Of the battle cruisers are
to be completed as airplane carriers.
OF the foreign countries represented
in the conference the only one where
there seems to be any organized oppo-
sition to the treaties is Japan. Baron
Sakamoto is leading the opposition In
the house of peers and criticized Sc
verely the agreements reached. Pre-
mier Takahashi and his ministers met
the attack ably. The premier said
that the government did not claim the
conference was an unqualified success,
viewed from an individual standpoint,
but that 1t did believe, with the other
powers, that the agreements reached
were the first step toward real and
lasting peace and would lead to fu-
ture understanding for the total aboli-
tion of defense equipments.
Japan, like the United States, has
stopped construction work on it's new
capital ships.