The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1922-01-13
WHAT TODO WITH
EXTRASHIPSI
FINAL QUESTION
Armament Conference
Has About All Its Bus
iness Wound Up SO Far
AS Naval Reduction Is
Concerned

( Washington, Jan. T.. lBy ;he AS
sociattd Press. 1-Although tn" arm.
delegates had giVsn up hope of put
ting the naval treaty IN tina shape in
time for announcement a: plenarv
session this week, il appeared pro
bable when the big five resum Il
their diIcussion today that virtually
completed treaty would be ready 10.
action by the full committee tOmor-
row or Monday. Having completed
their first revision of ihc p5e- yost T.
day and returned 1t to the legal rx-
pcrts for rcUr1f; ui amendments. i
remained for the delegation heads to-
day To reach q final agr. cmcnt on the
section relating TO the disposition Ui
scrapped ships and also thai fixing -
status quo" for pacific Notifications.
upon which the Japanese dclegatc~
are now awaiting Instructions from
TokiC
Disposition Oi War>h.ps
Although On the form. the delrgH
tiun chiefs were said to be in virlud!
agreement. the discussions over
methods of scrapping prescribed war
ships have aroused unusual intcrrS'
among the nIval experts of the con
ference. who, in their subcommittee
draft recommended that permission
be given for their conversion into
other types of craft, such As ailrratt
carriers. Each OF tho powers is per
mittcd to build Il specif" numhet OF
such raft under the ratio agreement.
and if the conversion were allowed. i.
is argued. much of the money already
4
retary Hughes is understood to have
taken the position in the "hig five
meetings. however !. that to prrmil thc
use of discarded battlcships in any
way would not be in accord with tn"
animating purpose Of the Washington
conference.
Expect Toxic Reply
The Toxic reply on the fcrtifca
tons questions is expected tn make
possible an early settlement by bring
ing the Bonin Islands, held by the
Japanese to be part OF the Japa-
nese homeland" within the scope Of
the Notifications article without cias-
sifying them as outside territory. The
original agreement provided that thu
status quo should not apply to forii-
hcatiOnS on islands ciaSSrd within the
"hOmeland' of the United States or
Japan but the Japanese have said they
had no obj ,ction to extending il to
the Bonin group.
Enect On Arms Conference
While in French quarters the dis
position to minimize the possible Of !
feet on the conference NJ regulations o, /
the resignation of Premier BRAND, o /
France, continued today amunt /
American conference officials. There |
was some appr, hcnSion that on tn ,
naval limitation program in particu
lar il might have far-reaching eitcc' |
Ne change in the personnel of tn !
French delegation was expected to re- !
suit. however. VI. Sarraut. head of tho |
delegation having stated that. al |
though rcsigning as a member of I'll, |
BRAND cabinet he would continue hi /
work as conference delegate in th' |
sam spirit of good will and conf /
denCe as heretofore. He said that |
lie saw no reason why the develop !
ment should result in the least DELAY |
in the negotiations.
Washington Jan. b (By the As !
sOciatcd Press THE portion 0i
Tsingtao and the entire kiach0W |
leased territory wiuld be opened hr |
China to the commerce of all ma
tions on equal terms under an agree. |
ment reached by the Chinese and ,Iaps |
arms delegation continuing their con
versatiOnS over the Shantung con
trOverSy.