Fulton County tribune. (Wauseon, Ohio) 1883-1925, 1922-02-16
NEWS REVIEW OF
CURRENT EVENTS
Settlement of Shantung Contro-
Versy Announced to the
Arms Conference.
NAVAL TREATY is APPROVED
Agreements on Poison Gas. subma-
rines and Chinese Questions Also
Indorsed-Senate Passes Foreign
Debt Refundlng Bill-Senator
Kenyon Is Made Federal
Circuit Judge.
BY EDWARD w. PIcKARD

Q ECRETARY of State Hughes and
~ Arthur ]. Balfour accomplished
great feat of real diplomacy last week
when they succeeded in persuading
China and Japan to accept the compro-
mise arrangement by which the long
standing and troublesome Shantung
controversy is brought to an end. The
settlement was announced on Wednes-
day to the fifth plenary session Of the
conference, and both the statesmen
voiced their personal rejoicing over it
because 1t was their own plan. Mr.. Bal
four went further and told something
that aroused the cOnferees to cheers.
He said that Great Britain had decid-
ed to enter at once into negotiations
for the restoration to China of the ter
ritory of Wei-Hai-Wei, which 1t has
held under lease since the time when
Russia seized Port Arthur. Thus China
will get back sovereignty over her
most ancient and most thickly-popu-
lated province in Its entirety.
In all major details the agreement
between japan and China is as was told
In these columns a week ago. japan
1t to get out of Tsingtao and the salt
fields within six months, and is to give
up the Tsingtao- Tslnanfu railway with
In nine months.
The one discordant note in Washing
ton was sounded by Ma 500, represent
ative Of the Canton government. He
asserted the Chinese people would not
recognize the treaty agreed upon In the
conference.
Mr.. Hughes presented to the con-
ference the completed draft of the
naval Limitation treaty with the agree
ment ON Pacific Notifications, and it
was formally adopted. No material
change In the treaty as already de-
tailed had been made, and the Pacific
agreement also stands In the main as
formerly described. According to the
f0rtifications clause the status quo
must be maintained by America in
the Philippine and Aleutian islands;
by Great Britain in Hongkong and the
Pacific islands east of 110 degrees
east longitude; by japan in the Kurile,
Bonin and Loochoo islands, Amami-
Oshima, Formosa and the Pescadores.
In presenting the five-power naval
pact, Mr.. Hughes said:
'AThis treaty absolutely ends the race
in competition of naval ornaments.
At the same time it leaves the secur-
ity Of nations unimpaired. 1t is signif-
icant of far more also, because here
we are talking of arms in the language
of peace and have taken the greatest
forward step to establish the reign Of
peace"
Albert Sarraut, head Of the French
delegation, took the opportunity again
to correct misapprehensions concern
ing his country's naval policy. He
said France had appealed for only
what she must have to defend her
self, and added: "The camouhaged
ghost of imperialistic France which
German propaganda parades about the
universe may still deceive few art
less minds, but 1t will soon evoke moth
ing but smiles"
Elihu Root presented for approval
the five power treaty outlawing poison
gas and the use of the submarine
against merchant shipping. He ex.
planned that 1t does not undertake to
codify international law in regard tC
visit and search, but to state the most
important provisions which already
are a part Of the law of nations.
1T does undertake." said Mr.. Root
''to stop the violation Of these rules
and the doing to death Of women ant
children and other noncOmbatants BY
declaring the wantOn destruction Of
merchant vessels carrying passengers
to be violation of the laws of wal