Evening star., 1922-10-11
Fruits Of Washington Conference
Are Still Those of Futnre.

Official announcement by the United
States and Great Britain that there
will be no "scrapping" of warships
pending ratification of all of the
treaties that were framed at the
Washington conference has directed
attention anew to the fact that the
fruits of that gathering still remain
unharvestsd. The attitude Of France
and Italy has resulted in expressions
in many quarters that the agree
ments may never be made effective,
especially in view OF tho latest de-
velopmentB in the near east.
1t was because Italy's interests at
that time were Identical with Brit
ain that she trained" with the latter
during the Washington conference,
the Salt Lake Desert News recalls.
but It feels that the situation now
has changed. Whoever has Con.
stantinople has potentially the water
way between the Mediterranean and
the Black sea. If the straits of the
BospoIps and the Dardanelles come
into English control the Mediterra-
the control of Great Britain. The
major part of the blame for the re.
turn OF the Turks to Constsntinople
should be against the French and
Italians" Italian This very fact; in the
emphasizes the failure Of the French
to take any action on the Washing
ton treaties. hailed throughout the
world as the greatest achievement
OF the Harding administration.
would have been had the conference
never met" ALI of which leads the
Atlanta Journal to point out that "the
treaties of the 3rms conference yet
may prove to be but scraps OF paper.
Lack Of inspired and inspiring leader
America dearly in material interest
and In prestige. If the one light and
hope of the period is now to prove
false: how great will be the dark
ness"
Events. however. have justified fail
ships. the Tacoma Ledger feels con-
vfnced inasmuch as so long as the
me1Ree OF the near east hangs over
Europe there Will be no reduction of
armament there and naturally the
United States and Japan will not al
advantage. The only hopeful sign is
that none Of the nations have ex.
hibitAd any tendency to authorize
new construction and upon this fact
rests the hopes Of peace lovers that
the work Of the Washington confer
This. too. IN the face of the fact that
France. italy, Belgium. Portugal and
the Netherlands have failed to act 1t
all, leads the Richmond Times-Dis-
patch to inquire whether there is not
another reason for the delay and
try for its refusal to participate in
European AFFAIRS? So long as the
treaties remain unratified the full
benefits of the work of the conference
will fail OF realisation. Although the
have made plans for wreckins their
battleships in accordance with the
five.power armament treaty, those
plans will Be held in allegiance until
France ana italy consent to the treaty.
Thus the work OF the Washington
conference may never be completed"
Because it was Senator Borah who
called attention to the existing situa-
tion the Knoxville Sentinel remarks
that "Borah's methods and processes
are calculated to suggest to the pub
tions at least. including our own. did
not take Mr.. Harding's conference,
suggested by Mr.. Borah, very seriously.
But IN view Of the service the British
armadas are performing for Christ
endom ana civiltsation, interposed be-
bolshevist hordes Of Russia as well,
as the only comparable barrier in the
new world deluge Of paganism and
barbArisn. we may well believe that
in Mr. Borah's way madness lies.' and
thank our stars for the measure of
pretection guaranteed us in our own
and Britain's baetfeships."
Tho BinGhamton Press feels that
France fs holding up its ratification
In order to have something to trade
for future concessions from England
and America" and that III the French
really wish to show their friendship
for the present administration they
viii lose no time in signing on the
dotted line" The Ashsville Times
fears that "the Warrington confer.
enoe. which was hailed As one Of the
greatest diplomatic aohievernsnts OF
the last decade, may yet prove hol-
low moskery. France and italy e4n
refuse 70 ratify the treaties ana no
one can eay them nay. Least OF all
can We o. the United States hold them
np to dAei4ion II they accept the roles
Of treaty wrecksrs. We set the exam
Pie BY our rhan.handfihE Of the Yer.
sAillss treaty and We cannot cr1tict3e
them severely II they batter the In
In addition, the Houston Post points
~ Il n IN a