The Washington herald., 1922-01-06
TREATY ASSURES
FREEDOM TO ACT
IN CASE OF WAR
British Spokesman De-
nies 1t Provides Bind
ing Alliance.

Freedom of action for ali powers
siSnstory to the proposed five
power naval Limitation treaty will
lie assured There will be no bind
ing alliance in the treaty. II will
recognize that the Congress of the
United States-is. the war-making au-
thority of that government.
Nothing in the treaty will tie the
hands of the United States, or any
other participating ROVER so that IL
cannot make every possible provi-
sion 10 defend its national honor.
Position Made Clear.
This was made clear by a spokes-
man for the British delegation last
night. He called attention TO the
original statement by Secretary Of
State Hughes that the American
delegation would have no part IN
any agreement that was not fully
in accord with the Constitution of
the Urited States. Nothing has oc-
CURED to change this viewpoint, he
The British official had caused
some confusion the day before by
stating that agreements were beins
reached to determine what action
the signatory powers should take
in the event one of them was at
tackled, or that there should be war
between two of the siEnator>
powers. This led to the belief in
some circles that the remainins
powers would take some action to
stop the war.
The spokesman for the British cx-
planned. however. that the opposite
was the case and il was the inten-
ton to make it perfectly clear thas
| tic agreements reached here were
! for the express purpose OF limiting
I armamentS and haItinC naval rIN-
airy. not for the purpose Of binding
/ the powers into agreements for
futuaI defense, or the prevention
| OF wars.
Each of the nations signing the
naval Limitation pact would neces-
sarily require a free hand in de-
| Tending itself in case Of attack, he
explained. and, of course, could not
be held within the confines of the
| treaty when to do so would mean
defeat. As the British understood
the arrangement, he said, in case
| OF attack the provisions limiting
the tonnage and size of naval
ornaments would automatically be
suspended. liter the conclusion OF
such a war. he stated, a conference
would be again necessary for the
purpose of putting the nsvies and
possibly armies of the belligerent
nations back on an equal footing
with the other powers.
VIII Discuss New Weapons.
| Another feature to he incorporat-
ed in the agreement is one touch
ing on the subject of new weapons
/ of warfare. 1t is conceivable, IL
was explained, that in the future
something may be discovered which
| would make the present naval ar
maments practically obsolete. In
such an event the powers would
feel il necessary to either provide
themselves with the newer weap-
ons, or some efficient method OF
combating them.
/ At the same time the British defl-
nitely set at rest any idea of linn
iting their defense against subma-
rines. 1t was stated by their Of
f1cial spokesman that. in spite of
the agreement reached and an
nounced yesterday. which restricts
the use of submarines, there could
be no abatement in building up a
g"eat reserve organization to COM
bat the submersibles as long as
other powers insisted upon MAIN
tanning them.
4 The British also made clear their
view that a merchant vessel does
not change its status when armed
for defensive purposes against a
submarine. 1t was explained that
an armed merchantman should obey
the law of search and seizure. but
the presence of a defensive rife on
board would not Justify the subma-