New-York tribune., 1922-01-06
Root Resolution IndorsctI.
Except Clause Making
Violations Piracy; This
Left for Future Action
No Force in Treaty..
Envoys Make Plain
Provision To Be Made 10
Govern Signatorics in
Event One Is at War
Bv Carter Field

WASlIINGTON. Jan. :,.-Thc five
leading naval powers OF the world
Today pledged themselves not % use
submarines as commerce DESTROYER
against each other in tho event Of
var. and to call on other nations az
'hc world to accept the same prin
'Iplc. Thee five nations. the United
States, Great Britain. Japan. France
and Italy, prior to this recorded
themselves, at the meeting Of tho
armament committee to-day. as ia
vorlng the Root resolutions regard
ing the use Of submarines.
These resolutions declare that ne
cessity is no excuse, and that the old
rue Of visit and search, and Of ab-
solute protection to passengers and
crew, must be lived up to, no matter
what Tic circumstances.
Tc>t of Root Resolutions
Following is the text Of the rcsolu
lions. approved to- day:
"Onc-Thc eignatory powers de-
string 20 make moro effective the
rules adopted by civilized nation,
for the protection Of the lives Of
ncutrals and comhatants at ga
in time Of war, declare that among
those rules the following arc to pc
deemed an established part of inter-
national law:
"One-h merchant vessel must hs
ordered TO submit to visit and search
to determine its character before /.
can be seized.
"a merchant vessel must not no
attacked unless IL refuses to submit
to visit and search after warning, or
to proceed a. directed after seizure
"A merchant vessel must not he
destroyed unless the crew and pas
sengers have been first placed in
safety.
Two Belligercnt submarines are
not under any circumstances exempt
from the universal rules above stated,
and il a submarine cannot capture a
merchant vessel in conformity with
these rules the existing law of ns-
tions requires il 70 dcsist from, AZ
tack and from seizure and to permit
the merchant vessel TO proceed un-
molestcd.
World agreement Sought
1.-Two The signatory powers invite
all other civilized powers to OK
press their assent to the forceo-
ing statement of established law 30
that ther" may be clear public
understanding throughout the world
Of the standards of conduct by
which the public opinion of the
world is to pass judgment upon
future belligcrentS.
"Ihrcc-Thc sisnatory powers
recognize tho practical imposs sibility
OF using submarines as commerce de-
stroyers, without violating, as they
were violated in tho recent war oi
19f1-1S. the requirements univcr-
sally accepted by civilized nations
for the protection of the lives of
neutral and n-combatant5, and to
the end that the prohibition of the
use of submarines as commerce de-
stroyers shall be universally accept
ed as a part of the law of nations.
they now accept that prohibition as
henceforth binding as between them
selves and they invite all other
nations to adhere thereto"
In the agreement that submarines
will not be used as commerce destroy
ers, instead of specifying that subma
chant ships. as the original Root reso-
did, it is felt by the delegates that an
I n 1>1
"Mcrchant Ship" Issue Avoided
The French were primed for discus
sion of the question, What and when
is a merchant ship" Its ramifications
defy enumeration. Does the famous
4.7-inch gun used on American mer-
chant ships during the war change the
character of the vessel from merchan.
to war? At what point does this chance
occur?
Even if all the rules in 1he world
were drafted, an American spokesman
pointed out, the difficulty would not be
and each case would present
a new problem to be solved, judgment
being made on the facts in that partic-
ular situation.
So the whole question, every one
being agreeable, was solved by the
simple eIpedient of stating that sub
should not be used as com
merce destroycrs. If II should be founc
desirable later on at future interna
tional conferences. the question can b.
discussed further. Meantime a diff
Guilty has been been avoided and at tn,
same time a substantial agreement
reached.
Efforts of critics of the Washington
to create the impressio,
that the forthcoming fve-power navs
treaty in reality will be l
military alliance brought prompt de
nial to-day from both the American
and British delegations
The Americans and British mad,
clear that there will be nothing in tn,
treaty even slightly resembling fore,
or implied force. Should one of tn
powers become involved in :,
war with an outside power the machin
cry will be available to terminate th
limitation agreement SO that natiol
can defend itself.
War Suspends Agreement
Except for the rules limiting the ue
of submarines the limitation agree
ment automatically will be set asid
in the event sjgnatory nations hecom
involved in war, either among then,
an1voa v,1th o,Ns ;l~ra