The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1922-01-05

council which in October announcer
the boundary unes. Neither Germany
nor Poland was satisfied but both &C.
cepted the decision.
All through the year the Greeks
fought the Turkish uauonaAsts 10
Anatolia. with varying fortune while
the allied powers held aiool. though
Offering mediation which Greece re-
fused. In November France maae
treaty with the kemahst government
which aroused protests from Great
Britain and led to diplomatic negotia-
lions.
The United States formally made
peace with the central powers. ne
treaty with Austria being signed Au-
gust "A, that with Germany August -,
and the pact with Hungary August 70
In these treaties America reserved ali
that was given her by the treaty OF
Versailles which the senate had re-
fused to ratify.
President Harding on July 40 is
sued informal invitations 70 Great
Britain, France, Italy and Japan TO
send representatives 10 washington
for a conference on limitation OF
armament and Far East questions.
Acceptance from al was already as
sured by process Of feeling out
and on August II the formal invita-
tions went out. China Belgium, Hoi-
land and Portugal being asked 10 par
ticipate IN discussions involving the
Far East. The foremost statesmen OF
these nine powers we're named as
delegates and on November l. the mo-
mentous conference opened with inn
posing ceremony. Almost Immediate
ly Secretary Hughes put forward
Americas plan for reduction and
limitation Of naval armament, inciua-
ing a naval holiday for ten years, the
scrapplng Of an shlpbuiiding pro-
grams. destruction Of vessels TO a GER
tain point and the maintenance OF
the navies Of America, Great Britain
and Japan on a 5-5i-3 basis. The plan
was formally accepted by the delegates
of those nations on December Is, and
to the agreement were. added clauses
for the preservation Of the status quo
of naval bases and fertilization 10 the
western Pacific.
OF almost equal importance was the
four power pact accepted by the con-
ference on December l3. This was
cast ii the form OF "a treaty by which
the United STATES, Great Britain,
France and japan agreed to mmintain
peace IN tie Pacific the Anglo-Jap-
anese treaty being abrogated.
China offered some very difficult
problems to the conference ana all the
demands OF her delegates We're not
satisfied. The eonferees, however did
enter into an agreement to remove
many OF the foreign restrictions on
China and 90 respect the territorial
and administrative integrity of the
oriental republic ana preserve the open
door for trade, and industry OF an ma
tious. Direct negotiations between the
Chinese ana Japanese delegates re-
suited In Japans agreeing 10 restore
Shantung province to China upon re-
ceiving payment Tor the railway.
1t was evident from the first that
the conference could not do much IN
the matter Of limitation OF land arma-
ments so long as the situation IN cen-
traI Europe remained so unsettled.
Premier BRAND was present TO give
voice to Frances needs OF protection
and fears Of aggression by GerlnaAs
ana possibly by Russia. His eloquent
speech so far convinced the confer
+, ence that the other powers gave as
surance that France would never be
left in tie moral Isolation" which she
feared.
President Harding has chung to his
idea that an association Of nations can
be formed which would do what the
League of Nations cannot do, and on
November 25 Ire put forward the sug-
gestion OF a continuing series Of con-
ferences Ike that In Washington.
which presumably might result In the
formation OF the association. The
idea was received with favor every
where. except that the French de-
INJURED at the proposed Inclusion OF
Germany.