Indiana daily times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1914-1922, 1922-02-11

Mr.; President and gentlemen of the
Senate:
l have come to make report to you
of the conclusions Of what has been
termed the Washington conference on
the Limitation of armament, and to lay
before you the series of treaties which
the United States and the other powers
participating In the conference have ne
gotiated and signed, and have an
nounced to the world. Apart from the
very great satisfaction in reporting to
the Senate, 1t is a privilege as well as
duty to ask that advice and consent
which the constitution requires to make
these covenants effective
Accompanying the treaties l bring to
you the complete minutes Of both plen-
and copy of the official report made 20
me by the American delegation to the
conference. Both the compile minutes
and the official report of the American
delegation are new accomplishments to
the executive report of a treaty or
treaties, but they are fitting testimO-
mails to that open and simpler diplomacy
for which the world has asked and the
practice Of which contributed largely to
the success of the conference SO re-
Gently adjourned. 1 trust they will
facilitate that ample and helpful under
standing which is desirable in the Sen
ate, and reflect that understanding which
was the keynote of the conference itself"
EVERY AGREEMENT
UNANIMOUS.
The whole transaction is quite out OF
the ordinary. l am not thinking Of the
achievement, which. l hope, the Senate
Will come to appraise as highly as l do,
and as the world seems to do. l am
not thinking of the commendable pro-
cesses by which agreements were
wrought, though this was a conference
wholly of free enatiOns, exercising every
national right and authority, in which
every agreement was stamped with una
nimity. Indeed. it was a conference Of
friends. proceeding in deliberation and
sympathy, appraistng their friendly and
peaceful relations and resolved to main
tain them and give to the world new
assurances of peace and actual relief
from the burdens of excessive and com.
petitiTe armament But the out of the
ordinary phases which l have in mind
are that the Senate-indeed, Congress
has already advised in favor Of one
and theoretically of two--of the treaties
laid before you today, and the naval
pact negotiated and signed is in accord
aRce with your expressed wish Il calls
a halt in the competitive construction
OF capital ships in the great nayies of
the world, and affords the first actual
relief from naval burdens which peoples
have been able to acclaim since steam
and steel combined TO add to naval
strength in warfare.
TREATIES ACCORD WITH
WORLD ASPIRATIONS.
But though the treaty recommended to
Congress marks the beginning of naval
holiday and that limitation of naval ar
mament which accords with q world as
piratiOn, the particular justification of
this progressive and highly gratifying
step was the settlement Of the interna
tiOnal problems Of the Pacific, attended
by new understandings in place of men
acing disagreements. and established
surties instead of uncertainties which
easily might lead 10 conflict. Much as
It was desirable to lift the burdens of
naval armament and strike at the men
ace OF competitive construction and con
sequeEt expenditure. the executive branch
OF the Government. which must be watch
full for the, Nations safety. was unWil-
ling to covenant q reduction OF arma-
ment until there could be plighted new
guarantees Of peace. until there could be
removed the probable menaces Of conflict
Therefore, all the treaties submitted for
your approval have such important re-
lationship, one TO another, that, though
not tnterdependent, they are the cove
nants Of harmony, Of assurance. OF con
yictlon, Of conscience, and Of unanimity.
These we have believed to be essen
tlal to perfect that fulflllment which the
Congress has in mind.
As n simple matter Of fact, AL Of the
agreements. except those dealing with
the limitations Of ornaments. take the
place of various multi power treaties, re-
latIng to matters in the Pacific Ocean. In
which all the powers signatory were es-
sentially, II not equally, concerned. The
new agreements serve to put an end "a
contradictions, to remove antiquities and
establish clear understandings.
NEW WORLD SCHOOL
OF DIPLOMACY.
No matter what mental reservations
may have existed or what doubts may
have prevailed, because here was an ex-
VA ~ mi svt nh N ~
the powers came TO the conference know
ing 1t was to deal with very practical
situations affecting their international
relations. There was mutual interest
quite apart from the greater achievement
for world peace, and q way TO common
understanding was found 10 be practical
and speedily arranged. II II has degel-
oped a new world school Of diplomacy,
let It be so called. 1t revealed the ends
aimed at I'm the very beginning and
pointed the way to their attainment The
powers in conference took the world OF
the Pacific they found 1t in fact. They
dealt with sctuaitie9 by voluntary and
unanimous agreement and have added to
mankind's assurance and hopefully ad-
vanced international peace
It is worth while saying that the pow
ers in GA conference sought no concert
to dispos4ess any power Of it's rights OF
property. All the signatories have given
up certain rights which they had as their
contribution to concord and peace but
at no sacrifice Of national pride, with no
regret or resentment to flame later into
conflict Some relinquished certain rights
or prerogatives, which they had asserted
notably IN the settlement Of the Shan
tung controversy, dealt with In cove
nant quite apart from the group here
with submitted. But every concession
was a willing one without pressure or
constraint The conference record is
quite unparalleled, not alone because
there yyns the maximum Of good fpeiin 2
and neighborliness throughout the ses-
slons, but common rejoicing in the re-
suits, and the separations in departure
were marked by genuine cOrdiaIity, good
will and new hopes.
II is not necessary to remind you
that the conference work was not di-
rected against any power or group Of
powers. There were no punishments to
infict no rewards to bestOw Mutual con-
sideration and the common welfare, and
the desire for world peace impelled The
conclusions reached and the covenants
written neither require nor cOntempla te
compulsory measures against and power
in the world, sign2tOry or nonsignatoTy.
The offerings are free will; the con-
science is that, Of world opinion; the OBJ
servance is q matter of Nation honor.
GREAT NATIONS
BECOME CLOSE FRIENDS.
These treaties leave no power de-
spoiled. The delegates Of every power
participating adjourned with every
right and every authority with which
thew came except that which was will
ingly and gladly given up to furt her the
common welfare. / can assure you the
nine powers have been brought more
closely together. they are stancher
neichbors and friends. they have clear
or and better estimates Of one another,
thpv have seen suspicion challenged and
selfshness made to retreat, they have