Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1922-01-09
BIG POWERS VOTE
TO BAN POISON GAS
IN FUTURE WARFARE

he w dSHiHBtOn conference dDOuL
completed its armament limitation
program today by voting poison gas
into the discard.
AS in the case of the new rules to
govern submarines. the prohibition
against use of gus III future wars
was adopted tv the five great pow
ers as applicable among themselves,
with an invitation to the rest OF the
world to join in the agreement.
That left on the armament waiting
list of the conference only two topics
Limitation of aircraft and general
revision of the rules of warfare
and both seemed likely tonight to be
passed over without definite action.
An air warfare sub committee has
reported after weeks of study that
limitation of airplanes appears i'm
practicable until d conference OF
wider scope has been convened, al
though it was suggested that some
restrictions on use of Fighter, than
aircraft might be worth attempting.
A future Worldwide conference
for consideration of the rules of war
also has been suggested and senti-
ment among the delegates seems TO
favor it. Italy, however, hopes to see
the present negotiations develop
some agreement against bombarding
of unfortifed cities
So far have the armament discus
sionS proceeded that some delegations
are looking forward to a plenary ses-
sion of the conference by Wednesday
or Thursday of next week to publish
to the world the completed limita-
ton treaty and to record the further
steps that have been taken in regard
to the Far East.
Deadlock on Shantung
III the Far Eastern discussions, TO-
days deliberations contributed no
/ surface indication of progress. de-
| spite an appeal by the Chinese to
Secretary Hughes and Arthur j. Bal
/ four to suggest way out of the
| Chinese Japanese deadlock on Shan
tung. The Chinese delegates saw the
respective heads of the American
| and British delegations separately
and opinion was divided aftcrward as
| to the prospects.
! Facing a situation that both de-
i scribcd as delicate, it was apparent
! the two parties to the controversy
| could not even agree on a method
! by which mediation could be at
! tempted The Chinese wanted to
availthcmSclveS of the offer of good
Offices made by Messrs. Balfour and
| Hughes but the Japanese took the
position that such a step would be
Nalueless unless China was prepared
! to make concessions she heretofore
| has refused to consider.
| 4 solution hinges on the method of
payment to be arranged for China $
purchase OF the Tsingtao- Tsinanfu
railroad, and both sides say they
! have gone as far as they can toward
! a compromise. In American quar-
tcrs, however, the opinion is eX-
pressed that the difference is so
/ small as to make a final disagree
| mcnt uhthinlsablc.
f! 1t is considered certain that Mr.
! Ealfour and Sccretar: Hughes, in
their roles as mcdiators. viii use
| every reasona bic means to bring the
two groups together, for there has
! been a tendency in many quarters TO
/ regard settlement of the long debated
Shantung problem an an integral elc-
mcnt in the solution of the remains
! ing questions of the Far East. These
questions arc to come in for inten-
sjve discussions during the comins
/ week. ANA the delegates all appear 10
believe that the air would be cleared
appreciably if Shantung were out Of
. the way.
! May Adjourn in Two Weeks
+ The general belief is that with the
armament negotiations ended, the
! Far Eastern side of the conference
/ or 10 days That would seem to
| foecast a final adjournment about
J two weeks or 50 hence but not SO
! soon as some Of the delegates had ex-
I pectcd. Prince Tokuyawa Of the Jap
anese delegation. carried out his ORR
ginal plans md LEFT for Japan TO-DAY.
/ but it was indicated that Mr.. Balfour
was considering canCClling his steam
/ ship reservations for next Saturday.
! II a pcnary 3essicn is called tor
! next week. it not unlikely that among
= ottiGl ltiibSS 1t VI al t4tt 1
/ 81 a definite agreement for clarified :
! ton Of the four power Pacific treaty
/ 50 as to make it inaprlicablc to the
! major islands Of the Japanese En-
/ pire. Negotiations tor such a formal
agreement, either through reservation
] or by an exchange of notes are I'M
dcrstood to have been virtually com
pleted.
! Aside from ShantunG. the biggest
elements of potential trouble and de-
lay remaining to be discussed by the
/ conference are embraced in the Chi
nese request for consideration of the
Z twenty one demands" and in the
ssroposal TO take up The problem Of
1.-THE Chinese railway concessions. Both
Of these may be reached before the
end of another week. ,hcwever. and it
is apparent that the delegates are in
no temper to unduly prolong debate.
1t is the hope Of the Japanese that
the "twenty-one demands" item will
be disposed of quickly through a jap
anese objection to discussion of the
subject by the conference. The Japa-
nese delegation holds that since the
demands" were not on the agenda Of
the conference. they cannot properly
come before it by unanimous concent.
and it is evident that this position
has had some support among the
delegates of the other powers.
The railroad problem. however,
seems certain to develop much de-
bate.