The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1922-02-04
SWIFT ACTION.
CLEANS slate.
OF CONFERENCE
Winds Up Work in Whirlwind
Fashion-Formal Stamp of
Approval Put on Results Of
Session.
WARNING IS SOUNDED
.CRy Associated Press1

WASHINGTON. Feb. 4.(The arms
conference today wound up its work
with whirlwind action. 1t formally
approved the various agreements to
make for peace in the Far East and ii
the closing moments Arthur J. Bal
four, head of the British delegation,
voicing the feeling Of statesmen
everywhere that China is the key
stone of that structure. uttered sol
emn warning that the world expected
a respect of the settlements arrived al
in strict good faith.
Any nation. the British statesman
said, which in the future tried to
transgress the principles laid down in
the conference with regard TO China
need not plead ignorance nor seek -
invoke any secret understanding
with minor Chinese officials.
The way was cleared for another
and final plenaIy session Monday
when President Harding will mark
the end of the history making confer
ence with an address.
! With a brief hours talk which pre-
/ ceded a field day for oratory in which
! the delegation leaders took opportunj-
| ties to pay tribute to President Hard
| ing for calling of the conference and
! for its work. the conference put the
( formal stamp of approval on the re
suits of three long months of patience
and not untroubled negotiations which
/ will take their places in the inches o.
| history. They were principally:
! Approve Treaty
| Final approval of the four-power Pa
cific treaty, with a supplement eXclud-
/ ing the homeland islands of Japan
/ from its terms.
Final approval of the Far Eastern
treaty, affirming anew the open door
to China and providing for her integ-
ritv against foreign exploitation and
4 encroachment.
Final approval of a treaty revising
the system of Chinese custom barges
and agreement described as vital TO
the rehabilitation of China by herself.
Formal announcement Of a declaration
of principle on the Siberian question,
pledging the territorial integrity Of
that land.
Shantung Agreement
/ Formal announcement of the agree
Iment by Japan TO hand back Shantung
Ito China, a conclusion of a subject that
almost wrecked the peace conference
of Versailles.
! Formal announcement of adeclara-
ton of Japan's famous y demands on
China and formal announcement Of
Japan's abandonment of the much a.
tackled group five.
A provision to the naval limitations
treaty that none of the powers pledged
may sell any of their warships between
now and the time they are scrapped.
Resolutions to improve the protec-
ton of the Chinese eastern railway.
vi nj q &
ed the work of the conference it will
formally be closed Monday with an ad-
dress by President Harding. All dele
gates are making arrangements to re
turn to their homes Immediately after
. ward.
U. S. Position
Stating the position of the United
States, Secretary Hughes declared its
historic policy" in its relation to
: China as set forth in its note to the
=, Chinese and Japanese governments
of MAY 13. 1915. has been and still
l is, consistently maintained
, The note was read into the record
stating the United States could not
recognize any agreement or undertak
ing entered into between China and
japan which impaired the rights oi
: the United States in China, the politi
t cal or territorial integrity of China OF
the open door policy.
Regarding the conference agree
ments as an accomplished fact, tbs
administration today already was tax
r ing steps looking to suspension o
= work on the thirteen battleships anc
battle cruisers destined for the scraI
=, heap. Although President Hardinl
does not plan to begin the actua
+ scrapping process until the naEa
treaty is ratified by the powers, he ha:
: asked the navy department for iufor
e nation as to the status of construction
i work on which to base a suspension
0 order.