New-York tribune., 1922-02-02
ConferenceThrongCheers
as Americas Plans to
Restrict Armaments Are
Accepted by Delegates
Race for Supremacy
Ended, Hughes Says
Pacific Agreement. Ex-
cluding Japans Home
Isles, Set for Saturday
By Carter Field

W h'>i1l NJ ! O4S. cN- -- ="
hvc-powcr naval treaty, ending the
fight for naval supremacy among the
great sea powers Of the world, was
unanimously approved by the repre-
sentativcs Of tho United States.
Great Britain, Japan, France and
Italy to-day.
This treaty ends. absolutely erd7.
the race in competition i'll naval ar
mament,' Secretary Hughes de
clared. OH completing his explanation
Of the terms Of the treat and Just
before the final approval was regis
tered.
A storm Of applause swept Tie
crowded galleries and floor Of Cont
mental Memorial Hall at this stale
ment Of the chairman Of the arna-
ment limitation conference. The en-
thusiasm, long restrained by tho
delays which have been necessitateJ
since MIR. Hughes FIRST laid do1'n the
Ames can proposals for holiday il
oattl, ship construction and the
scrapping of Older warships, burst
forth at the realization Of what had
been accomplished.
Enthusiasm Reaches Climax
The enthusiasm had been gradually
developing up to this climax as agree
ment after agreement which had been
reached with regard to the Chinese
situation was read ana approved. cor-
cludng with the announcement thaS
the Shantung question had been settled.
All of these agreements
that of Shantung, we're fairly we'll
known. having been made public AZ
they were completed. but there had
been no public session aud no formal
approval of accomplishments since De
cembcr 10, when the fourpower Pacific
treaty was approved. and IN the long
interval there WAS no Disgusting the
fact That those who wore not follow
ing its work closely enough 10 reali7s
what was being done had lost their
first keen interest III the work Of tbs
conference.
After the naval treaty rad been an
proved by the five powers, Including
the agreement as TO the Notifications
approved by the United States. Great
Britain and Japan, the treaty ouJlaH-
inE tho use Of poison gas, restricting
the use Of submarines to stree com
piancc with international Law as al1
down before the advent of the under
sea boats and binding the i've chic
naval powers not 10 use submarines as
commerce destroyers in the event o,
wars between any Of the i've, was Iead
and approved.
The session then had stretched long
beyond tie luncheon hour, 30 the navy
four power treaty excluding the hor-
Stands of Japan from the provisions Of
the four power Pacific treaty, as de
scribed in The Trlbune's Washington
dispatches this morning, was rot
reached 1t probably Will be taken ur
at the next open session, which, accord
ing to Indications, viii be on Saturday.
Sarraut Defends French Stand
One of the dramatic features Of this
important day in the history OF the
armament limitation conference was
the speech Of Albert Sarraut head of
the French delegation. It was. even
as was the speech of former Premier
BRAND last November in the early
days Of the conference, and the speech
of Rene Niviani, in December. de-
fense Of France for not beng willing
TO go as far in disarmament as tho
other powers at the conference.
In the case of BRAND. it was pas
sionate plea that France needed her
strong army for defense against Ger
many. With Niviani it was the sam.
thing, plus desire TO soften the crit
cism even then growing against
Frances insistencc on building larger
fleet than the other Allies desired. u.
Sarraut to-day added to the defense
made by BRAND and Vviani the final
defense of France for her refusal to
limit construction Of submarines.
NJ. Sarraut openly referred to tho
criticism of France which disappeared
in the American press. rdiculed the
thought Of France as possible inn
perialstic aggressor. and defended the
lines which France had drawn beyond
which she would go no further in limit
ing the size of her army and navy.
"Nor did we reach the conclusion OF
asserting to the terms Of the naval
treaty without experiencing difficult
ties or encountering obstacles" NJ.
Sarraut declared dramatically "We
did not consent without debating, or
even without fighting. the serious sac
rifices that France is making, and at
certain times we did not try to dis
semble the surprise felt at the cond-
tions under which she was asked to
consent. We did it because it was our
duty to 10 it, and since it was our duty
! we regret nothing of what we have
| done.
No Reservations in Assent
"The French delegation yielded what
it felt it should yield and resisted or
the points where it had 10 do it. We
| marked the line to shos how far wa
| could go ind traced ths limit which we