The Washington herald., 1922-01-06
SIMONDS Sees
U. S. TANGLE IN
5-POWER TREATY
Expresses Surprise That
Jap-Franco Pact Would
Not Be Abrogated.
Bv FRANK H. SIMONDS.

Two questions OF equal impor-
tance. both concerning treaty OBJ
legations, dominated the discussion
of conference matters yesterday.
The first related to possible en-
gagements to be undertaken IN the
new five-power treaty; the second,
to the Franco-Japanese treaty of
alliance OF 1907.
As to the five-power treaty, the
discussion was launched by an Of
ficiai declaration from British
sources that this treaty, which is
to cover the subject OF the limita-
tion OF naval armament and the
restriction of fortifications in the
Pacific, would also include a pro-
vision for conference and consulta-
ton in case of internal disagree
ment or external menace. 1t will
be recalled that in the four-power
treaty under Article II provision is
made that the signatory powers
shall meet in consultation in case
OF trouble between two or menace
to any one coming from without.
According to British information
the five-power treaty now being
drafted will contain such a pro-
vision also.
But it will be perceived that
whereas the four-power treaty con-
Germs Pacific powers and covers
subjects relating exclusively to the
region of the Pacific. the five-power
treaty affects at least one nation.
namely Italy, which has no Pacific
possessions Therefore. were the
Dit f9k. ND
curate forecast, the United States
would be brought under the oblI-
CATION to confer in case Jugo-
SIavia, for example. should threaten
to attack Italy, presumably by sea.
Thus the United States would be
drawn into European affairs.
Denied by state Department..
When this Interpretation was
presented to the American state
Department there was A categorical
denial that the five-power treaty.
which is still in the process of de-
velopment. would contain any such
provision or commitment. and 1t
was asserted that the single en-
gagement would be an agreement
to confer and consult provided a
scientific development or political
change made such consultation de-
sirable. Moreover. It was explained
further that what was meant by
political change was that II, for
example. a nation outside the five
power agreement should build a
large navy and menace the security
of one of the fve-power signatories
then that power might ask its as
sion fnnraa q
its armaments beyond the limits
fixed by the five-power treaty. But
emphatic insistence was laid upon
the idea that the American delega-
ton would not accept any treaty
which envisaged any positive ac-
tion on our part.
Perhaps more important was the
problem raised by the Franco
Japanese treaty of 1907. 1t will be
recalled that the chief reason for
the four-power treaty was the
American desire to eliminate the
Anglo-Japanese alliance and that
the four-power treaty represented
that substitute for the Anglo
Japanese alliance which The United
States government was willing to
accept. From the American point
of view the United States was will
ing to agree to respect the integ-
rity of Japan and to consult with
the Japanese. with the British and
with the French in case Of a diff
ference between two of the four
powers signing the treaty or In the
case of a difference between one OF
them and an outside power. In re-
turn for this Great Britain and ia
pan agreed in Article ~ of the
treaty that the Anglo-Japanese al
lance should be terminated.
Treaty Text svrprise.
What occasioned surprise yester-
day was the discovery Of the text
and the significance of the Franco
Japanese treaty. This brief treaty
Is as follows:
animated by the desire TO
Continued ou Pane Three