, 1922-02-07

sensible person expect that il would succeed IN ban
ishing war from the earth for all time But me sver-
age OF accomplishment is a high one. higher than most
Persons expected, and il the conference has not sue
eeeded IN eliminating the possibility Of war, It has
been successful in reducing the chances Of war by the
application Of the principles Of preventive diplomacy.
The most important singk Accomplishment Of the
conference is the formulation o. the hve-power naval
treaty between the United States, treat Britain, ia
pam Italy and France After many weeks Of discus
son IN committee, this treaty WAS approved by these
powers in yesterdays session. This treaty embodies,
with few importai notifications, the original pro-
posais Of Secretary Hughes Its provisions put an end
10 international competition in capital ships, providing
each OF the hve powers concerned with a definite and
fixed capital ship tonnage. Il carries a special agree
ment between Great Britain, the United States and
Japan whereby each Of these powers undertakes, for
the duration of the treaty. to refrain from building
new naval bases and Notifications in the Western Pa
cihe islands, and the treaty Furthermore limits the
size of aircraft carriers, and restricts non-capital ships
to n certain size and amor thickness. Japan, it is
true, retains the Mutsu, so dear to the Japrneso heart:
and thus concession has made necessary a slight varia-
ton in the details Of Mr.. Hughes's proposals. Yet the
main objective has been attained, and during the life
OF the treaty the five chief naval powers win not en-
gage in a ruinous eapitaIship building program.
"of proportions hardly less monumental, the FIVE
power treaty dealing with the use of submarines and
poison gas, approved yesterday by the plenary SEES
sion, will take rank with the fve-power naval treaty
rs a great and durable achievement. The signatory
powers are the same-the United States, the British
Empire, France, Italy and Japan. Under the terms of
this treaty these powers promise to refrain from using
submarines as commerce destroyers, and bind them
selves, Furthermore. to refrain from using poison and
asphyxiating gases in warfare. Both of these prohibit
tons were framed in response to the universal demand
among civilized nations for an amelioration in the con-
ditions of warfare; and their incorporation in a spe-
eal treaty bespeaks the growing power of the public
opinion of the world.
"Other resolutions approved Yesterday, TO be incor-
pornted later in a treaty, deal for the most part with
questions affecting China. Americans will be p~articu-
iarly interested in the Shantung ettlement, an
nounced yesterday. as a result of which China will re-
gain complete control, in the words of Mr.. Hughes, of
her ancient and most sacred possession Japan, how
ever, retains n voice in the traffic nd auditing depart
ments of the Shantung railroad, and this fact natural
ly will temper somewhat the enthusiasm of the Chinese
and their many friends in America. More or less un-
expectedly, the British government, through Mr.. Bal
four, announced that 1t would withdraw from Wei
Hai-Wei, thus giving concrete evidence Of the desire
to deal justly with China.
The Washington conference has already done
enough to justify the hopes of those who called it into
being. Nor are there any valid grounds for criticising
the conference because it has failed to provide eanc-
tions to insure obedience to its decisions. To such
structure, Mr.. Root himself has provided an effective
answer. 1T is argued he said, speaking of the sub
marine and poison gas, that in the stress of war these
rules will be violated. Cynics are always nearsighted
end often the decisive facts lie beyond the range of
their vision. We may grant that the rules limiting the
use of implements of warfare, made between diplomat
lists, may be violated in the stress of conflict. We may
grant that the most solemn obligations assumed by
governments in respect of the use of implements of
war will be violated in the stress of conflict; but be-
yonG diplomatists and beyond governments there rests
the public opinion of the civilized world, and the pub
lie opinion of the world can punish. It can bring its
sanction to the support of a prohibition with as ter
rible consequences as any criminal statute of congress
or of parliament. We may grant that in matters which
are complicated and difficult, where the facts are dis
puted and the arguments ~sophistic, public opinion may
be confused and ineffective. Yet when a rule of ac-
ton, clear and simple, is based upon the fundamental
ideas of humanity and right conduct, and the public
opinion Of the world has reached a decisive Judgment
upon it, that rule will be enforced by the greatest pow
er known to human history; the power that is the
hope of the world will be a hope justified
"These are memorable words that Mr.. Root has
spoken. Whatever binding force the decisions Of the
Washington conference may have in future will come
from the support they will receive from the public
opinion of civilization, in modern times the real power
behind thrones and governments"