The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1922-01-06
SUB CAPTAINS
WHO VIOLATE
LAW PIRATES
Five Powers Naval Committee
Adopts Root Resolution
Declares Commander Who
Disobeys Guilty of Piracy.
POISON GAS IS NEXT
fRy Associated Pressl


WASHINGTON. Jan. 6.-Considera-
tion of submarine questions was ccr.
cluded today by the five powers ma
val committee with adoption of the
final Root resolution declaring subma.
rlne commanders, who with or with
out orders from their government
violate the existing International law
on submarine warfare to be guilty of
, piracy
The American delegation through
Mr.. Root, thereupon brough forth
| new proposal to prohibit the use OF
poison gas in future wars. 1t was
said to have been received favorably.
| but a decision went over until to-
| morrow's meeting.
Viewed everywhere as the most sig
nificant naval achievement of the con-
ference since the capital ship agree
| ment, the declaration prohibiting the
use of submarines against merchant
| men as adopted in the naval commit
| tee late yesterday asked the adherence
of all nations to the new principle of
/ international law.
| The committee at the same time
gave final approval to redraft of the
/ first Root proposal to declare in the
| simplest terms the rules of internG-
tional law applying to merchant YES
| sells and their full application to sub
marines with other nations invited TO
join in the declaration.
French Amendment.
Some significance was attached to-
day to the amendment offered by the
French group and adopted, in the sec
ond proposal, citing significantly the
submarine violations ''in the recent
war of 1914-191S," to support the do
claration's assertion of the 'impog
sibility of using submarines as cori-
merce destroyers without violating
1.-THE rules of international law.
1t was offered after an exchange
between the French and British
groups which indicated that recent de-
velopments in the committee had
. served to clear the air of any possibil-
ity of misunderstanding between the
1.-TWO as to Frances attitude regarding
Germanys use of submarines during
the war
With indications of growing friction
!, between the Japanese and Chinese
I over the Shantung controversy, their
, meeting today held little promise OF a
break in the deadlock over return OF
! the Kiaochow-Tsinanfu railroad tC
China.
Stand BY Assertion.
The Chinese delegates apparently
: stood by their assertion after yester
| days meeting that the conversation
: would end today unless the Japanese
accepted their alternative plan for pay
: ment for the road in cash or install
ments as they would refuse the Japa
nese proposal for payment by Japa
nese loan. Only a renewal of the
good offices" of Arthur ]. Balfoul
and Secretary Hughes it was said
could then bring about resumption
of the negotiations.
| Having disposed of the Chinese tar
iff question yesterday under a plaI
II providing for an immediate increase il
the effective rate and further period
e ical adjustment, and also agreed Il
p steps for the withdrawal of foreigl
y troops from Chinese soil. the far east
is ern committee of the whole was no
IS expected to meet again until the sub
'f marine and other naval questions hav'
been settled.