Belt Valley times. [volume] (Armington, Mont.) 1894-1977, 1922-01-05

1Aaf VI rA&tS vi NffHNlA& ~ ~
general view. Division of Uppe
Siiesia between Germany and Polan'
caused a tot of trouble. A pleblscit
vas held there I'm March. but bot
sides asserted 1t was unfair and earl.
In May the region was invaded b.
Polish irregulars. Thinly yelled supper
was given them by the Wsrsaw gov
eminent and also by the French ant
there succeeded q long series or fight
betw cen them and German volunteel
forces. The entente cordIale of th'
allies was nesr TO rupture. but In June
British troops entered the terrftor,
and began clearing out the Poles. Ths
dispute was referred TO the league
council which In October announced
the boundary lines. Neither Germany
nor Poland was satisfied but both nc
cepted the decision.
All through the year the Greeks
fought the Turkish nationalists In
Anatolia. with varying fortune. while
the allied powers held aloof. though
Offering mediation which Greece re
fused. In November France made 9
treaty with the Kemalist government
which aroused protests from Great
Britain and led TO diplomatic negotia-
lions.
The United States formally made
peace wlfk the central powers, the
treaty with Austria being signed Au-
gust "a, that with Germany August Is,
and the pact with Hungary August %.
that was given her by the treaty OF
Versailles which the senate had re-
fused to ratify.
President Harding ON July 10 Is
sued informal invitations to Great
Britain. France, Italy and Japan TO
send representatives I o Washington
for a conference on Limitation of
armament and Far East questions.
Acceptance from all was already as-
sured by a process of feeling out"
and on August IL the formal invita-
lions went out, China, Belgium, Hol-
land and Portugal being asked TO par
tfeipate In discussions Involving the
Far East. The foremost statesmen OF
these nine powers were named as
delegates and on November II the mo-
mentous conference opened with Inn
posing ceremony. Almost immediate
Iy Secretary Hughes put forward
Americas plan for reduction and
Limitation of naval armament, includ-
spV N naval hnfsHn.r fn~ fan ua1Pu the
scrappIng of all shipbuilding pro-
grams, destruction OF vessels 10 a GER
tain point and the maintenance OF
the navies of America, Great Britain
and japan on a $50 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 In the
western Pacific.
or almost equal Importance was the
f%our-power pact accepted by the con-
ference on December 10. This was
cast In the form OF a treaty by which
the United States. Great Britain,
France and Japan agreed to maintain
peace In the Pacific, the Anglo-Jap-
anese treaty being abrogated.
China offered some very difficult
problems to the conference and all the
demands of her delegates we're not
satisfied. The conferees. however. did
enter into an agreement TO remove
many of the foreign restrictions on
China and to respect the territorial
and administrative integrity of the
oriental republic and preserve the open
door for trade and industry of all ma
lions. Direct negotiations between the
Chinese and japanese delegates re-
suited In Japan's agreeing to restore
Shantung province TO China upon re-
ceivlng payment for 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
trail Europe remained so unsettled:
Premier BRAND was present to give
to Frances needs of protection
and fears OF aggression by Germany
and possibly by Russia. His eloquent
speech so far convinced the confer
ence that the other powers gave as
surance that France would be
left in the moral isolation which she
President Harding has chung to- bis
idea that an association of nations can
no formed which would do what the
League of Nations cannot do. and on
rs he put forward the sug-
of a continuing series OF on
~ferences like hat In Washington,
Rnfch~presumabiy might result In the
'ermationxof the association THE
Idea was received with favor every
except that the French de-
at the proposed inclusion Of
- 0FnaA