The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1922-02-08
PARLEY OF NATIONS
COMES TO CLOSE
Covenants Signed and
Sealed Monday
NFw DEAL
FOR CHINA

mendS the Conference for Splendid
Achievements Which He Claimed for
1t.
Washington, FEB. 6.-Its covenants
finally signed and sealed, the ,Wash-
fngton conference was passed on to
history today by president Harding,
as IAN example to imbue with new
hope all that dwell in apprehension"
Speaking before plcnary session
which brought to close the negotia-
Itions begun twelve weeks ago at his
invitation, the President declared the
record Of achievement voiced in cour-
ageous tones, "the first deliberate and
effective expression Of great powers,
in the consciousness Of peace, OF wars
utter futility."
Before him as he pronounced his
appraisement lay, newly signed, the
treaties by which the predominant ma
tions Of the world engage to Pvt q
limit on their navies, to guarantee a
new deal for China and to set up an
international concord to keep the
peace in the Pacific.
1T matters little" said Mr.. Hard
ing, what we appraise as the out
standing accomplishment. Any nesof
them alone would have justified the
conference. But, the whole achieve
ment has so cleared the atmosphere
that it will seem like breathing the
refreshing air Of new morn of
promise.
1T may be that the naval holiday
here contracted will expire with the
treaties, but do not believe it. Those
Of us who live another decade are
more likely to witness growth Of
public opinion, strengthened by the
new experience, which will make ma
tions more concerned with living to
the fulfillment of Gods high Intent
than with agencies Of warfare and de-
struction.
Since this conference Of nations
has pointed with unanimity to the way
OF peace today, like conferences in
the future, under appropriate condi-
tions and with aims we'll conceived
and defined, may illumne the high
ways and byways Of human activity
The torches OF understanding have
been lighted, and they ought to glow
and encircle the globe"
The president delivered his parting
message to the delegates as soon as
the formal signing Of the treaties had
been concluded, and when he finished
the conference closed, as it had open
ed on November 12, with prayer
Within a few hours some Of the for
eign delegations already had left
Washington, and most OF the others
will go tomorrow.
-Four treaties and supplement to a
fifth were given final approval today,
but their red wax seals had been at
tached in advance and the entire cere-
mony occupied less than an hour No
other business remained and the sew
enth and final plenary session came
to an end at 1913 A. NJ, one hour and
eleven minutes after It was called to
order
In the order of their signature, the
instrument to which the plenipoten-
tiaries affixed their names were the
four-power Pacific treaty supplement,
excluding the principal Japanese
islands from the scope Of the pact;
the five power naval limitation treaty;
the hve.power submarine and poison
gas treaty; the nine-power general
Far Eastern treaty and the nine
power Chinese tariff treaty OF the
three other treaties resulting from
the Washington negotiations, that re-
lating to Shantung was signed Sat
urday and those dealing with cable
rights In Yap and ALLEGATION OF the
former German Pacific cables are yet
to DO put into, final form by direct
exchanges between the interested
governments. The four power Pacific
treaty was signed December 13.
The signing took place at the desk
OF the secretary general In the center
of the great hollow square formed by
the U-shaped green baize table about
which all the plenary sessions oftthe
conference were held.g Only one dele
gate sat at the desk at a time, but to
shorten the ceremony 1t was arranged
that each should sign In immediate