Evening star., 1922-01-08
CONFERENCE HITS 7:
SNAG IN AIRCRAFT.
Indications Are No Effort
Will Be Made to Restrict
Development.
GAS GIVEN DEATH BLOW
Nations Uphold q. s. Proposal to
Ban Use-Later Air Con.
" ference Suggested.
By the Associated Press.

f. ference Suggested.
By the Associated Press.
The f1ve major naval powers of the
world through the naval committee.
OF the arms conference, yesterday
voted to outlaw gas as a weapon of
war, and in adopting the Root resolu-
tion to that end, invited world adher-
ence of all nations to the prohibition
as a rule Of international law.
The committee then turned to the
third new agency of war with which
it has been called upon to deal 80
aircraft but had not COM
pleted discussion when adjournment
was taken over the week end.
Course Regarded Unwise.l
Indications were that there would
be no effort to restrict arplane de-
velopment through limitation in num-
bers, size or military characteristics.
A subcommittee. in an elaborate re-
port, recommended against such
course, as both impractical and un-
wise.
Even action to curb lighter-than-a air
DEVELOPMENTS or fleets seemed i'm
probable as the delegates apparently
do not regard Zeppelin ships as OF
serious menace. The discussion
that a declaration against the bomb
ing of open, unfortified towns or cities
might later be laid before the con-
ference for approval. coupled with a
fiye-power contract to refrain from
such acts as among themselves.
Anti-Gas Resolution.
The anti.gas resolution went
through as drawn by Elihu Root OF
the American delegation. 1t reads:
"The use in war of asphyxiating,
poisonous or other gases and all
other analogous liquids. materials OF
devices having been justly condemned
oy the general opinion of the civilized
world and a prohibition OF such use
having been declared in treaties to
which a majority OF the clVllizeo pow
ers are parties,
Now to the end that this prohibi-
ton shall be universally accepted as
part of international law binding
alike the conscience and the practice
of nations, the signatory powers de-
clare their assent to such prohioi-
tion, agree to be bound thereby be-
tween themselves and invite all other
civilized nations to adhere thereto"
Called "Bond Of Union.o
In giving adherence Of France to
this doctrine, Albert Sarraut, head
OF the French delegation said that
while the exercise of authority in
the banning Of gas warfare did not
seem practicable. the Root proposal
was none the less useful because 1t
would be "a bond Of union." among
the five powers against an abhorrent
method of warfare and also because
the example they set for themselves
possessed a mot inconsiderable per-
suasive power" on world action at
large.
Arthur ]. Balfour. for the British, dis.
cussed the gas problem at some length
in concurring in the Root principles. He
argues that the history Of international
discussion on the subject made the Root
proposal no new element of international
law, but reafifrmation of that law.
Such course was valuable. Mr.. Balfour
said, although it was a fact that the
declaration would not relieve nations of
the necessity Of preparing themselves
to guard against the use of gas by an
unscrupulous enemy.
Example Not to BE Ignored.
In 1915, Mr.. Balfour continued, the
present proposal was the law of nations,
ana Tor that reason no nation but one
mad taken steps toward protection from
poison gass in war. The result, he
added, was very near to complete
disaster to the allied armies" and that
example could not be ignored
Yet. while it was not possible to
give complete relief from the danger
of gas or from necessity for pre-
caution against its future use by an
unscrupulous foe, Mr., Balfour said
the five-power declaration against it
would have effect in solidifying
world public opinion on the subject.
He cited the great test case of the
United States here-the gradual ris-
ing OF public INDICATION against some
immoral use of weapons OF war-had
had a profound influence upon the
history of the world" While not
finally committing the British dele
CATION on the language of the Root
proposal. Mr.. Balfour expressed Brit
ish acceptance of its policy.
Japan's Acceptance Brief.
Baron Kato's acceptance for ia
pan was brief. and the formal adopt
tion of the resolution followed.
Mr.. Hughes then presented the re-
port of the aircraft limitation sub
committee, which was headed by
Rear Admiral Moffatt, director of
the naval air service, and which
worked for weeks getting it's con-
The findings Of the subcommittee
were summed up in the following
paragraph:
'It is the opinion of this commit
tee that the Limitation Of military air
Eower (as regards heavier-than-air
craft) is not practicable at the pres
ent time.
Their reasons for this decision are
as follows:
II. The difficulty of finding a basis
for the proportion of aircraft to be
allotted to the various nations.
"2. The difficulty Of devising tech
meal methods to impose such limita-
tion.
Difficult Of Enforcement.
"S. The difficulty of enforcing such
methods.
-. The interdependence between air
power and a commercial aircraft in
dustry which it is not practicable to
limit"
AS to lighter-than-ai craft, the re-
port said, many of these remarks also
applied, but that Limitation Of dirigi-
bles was, possible and practicable be-
cause. their war power being de-
pendent upon size. infractions of a
rule Of size as to commercial dirigi-
bles. would be learned quickly, and
also any limitation Of number to be
maintained as enforceable. But again,
the committee held, restrictions would
be imposed on commercial develop