The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1922-01-04
Navies Reduced
To the Limit
Washington Conference Has
Done All That is Possible
to Cut Naval Forces

Washington. Dec. so tBy the As
$ociated Press Tho arms con-
ference has virtually reached the
end Of its effort to put 4 curb on
naval arnaments To the capital
ship settlement was added today
an agreement for limitation Of fu-
ture tonnage in airplane carriers,
and then the naval committee adj
journed Indefinitely leaving deter
mination Of various problems Of de-
tail TO a subcommittee of experts,
Some sort of celebration with re-
gard TO use of the submarine and
an agreement not to construct any
auxiliary vessels hereafter with 4
tonnage Of more than 10000 are
expected also TO be added 10 the
accomplishments OF tho confer
encc before final curtain is rung
down. \ five power treaty enlbody-
ing all the points on which there
is agreement now is in process Of
drafting
There arc growing indications.
too. that the four power treaty to
preserve peace in the Pacific. which
already has been signed. Will be
in some way further clarified be-
fore the conference quits The
American delegation is understood
to have withdrawn any objection
to the Japanese proposal that the
treaty's scope be defined as not in
Gliding the majo- Japanese islands.
and the plan for an exchange OF
the treaty text is expected to take
definite form within q few days.
The Japanese request for 4 claii-
fication of the treaty's terms is said
TO have been based largely on the
development of 4 difference in view
on the subject between President
Harding and the American delega-
.ion. This difference has been q
topic Of such widespread spccula-
ton in conference circles that the
president took occasion today to
characterize as silly" published
reports that Secretary Hughes was
cabinet as & result Of differences
arising between him and the White
House during the arms noeotia-
tons.
What is to be done about tho Tar
Eastern problems now becomes the
big unanswered question Of the
conference. Japan and China are
deadlocked in their efforts 1T a sep
arate settlement "t :he Shantupg
controversy and as consequence
all the other Far Eastern discus
sions are a: standsrill. 1t was
Indicated tonight that meeting
of the Far Eastern committee
would be held next weel. at which
China would attempt 10 transfer
the Shantung negotiations into The
fun conference.
Meantime senate discussion OF
the accomplishments of the corfer-
ence are continuing even Though
the senate is not In session.
Today's contribution 10 the agree
ment came from Senator Edge Qte-
publican) OF New Jersey. who de
clared in public statement that
the Washington, negotiations had
laid the foundation for great pro-
gress toward peace and good will.
These are the loose ends" OF the
naval limitation program remain
ing to be gathered UP now that the
principal issues Of the negotiations
are out Of The way:
]. The naval experts have yet %
work out detailed agreements un-
der the capital ship settlement for
establishment Of standard ton
mage system OF measurements for
the replacement building that has
been agreed to; Cor methods OF
scrappinG; Tor determining the re-
lationship OF merchant fleets TO
war fleets IN war time; and for
prevention Of warship construc-
ton in any place or manner that
would violate the naval holiday.
,. France still has TO formally
accep; the 10000 tons limit agreed
TO by the other powers for indi-
vidual warships of the auxiliary
classes.
3. The first Root resolution reaf-
lirmins existing international law
principles FOR regulation OF subn:a-
rine warfare is 10 DC put into linal
phrascology and formally adopted.
i. The second and third Root
resolutions prohibiting use Of sub
marines aginast merchant vessels
and making illegi;imate unde:wa-
ter warfare an act Of piracy are Yet
to be accepted or rejected by
France. Italy and Japan.
). The complete capital ship
agreement. the agreement on air
plane carriers. the auxiliary craft
limitation and the resolutions final
ly accepted regarding submarines
are TO be put into tive power
treaty 1nd formally signed.
DECREASE OF TWO
IN 1921 IYNCHTNGS