Evening star., 1922-02-06
President Sees New
Era in History
of World.
SURE RESULTS WILL
ENCIRCLE THE GLOBE
Brilliant Assemblage at
Most Impressive
Ceremonies.
BY G. GOULD LINCOLN.

BY c. GOULD LINCOLN.
The Washington conference closed
! today. The nine powers assembled.
through their accredited representa-
fives, signed the treaties looking to
| Limitation of armament and to the .
eradication of war spots in the far
east.
President Harding. addressing the
| brilliant assemblage. predicted that
! this great international gathering
had signalized the beginning Of a
| new era of understandings new
era in which preparedness for war
would be secondary to moral pre-
! paredness for peace.
IF the world has hungered for new
| assurance it may feast at the ban
i Quet which the conference has
| spread" the President said. and
+. again. later: THE torches of under
! standing have been lighted. and they
! ought to glow and encirclc the
| globe"
Closing Scene Impressive.
| The final scene of the conference
as the opening-was laid in beautiful
Memorial Continental Hall. 1t was at
! once impressive and simple. The as
sembly hall was filled with high Of
| ficials of this and other governments
| and the invited guests. The atmos-
! phere was one Of qualification fol-
lowing great achievement and hope
for the future The central figures
! in the ceremonies today were PreSi-
| dent Harding, the man who initiated
! the conference through his call to the
/ nations. and Secretary Hughes, upon
! whose shoulders devolved the task of
putting it through.
There was generous and appreciative
| applause for all the participants in
| the conference. AS each delegation
beginning with the .American-ad-
/ vanced to- the central table to affiX
their signatures, to the treaties there
WAS applause. both for the delegations
and for individual members. Arthur
J. Balfour. the eminent 6ea& Of the
British delegation. whose work during
the conference had been unnagginS
and in the interest of harmony. was
given an ovation when he entered the
| hall. -,
Address ImprcsseS Audience.
| President Harding's address was
delivered with evident feeling and
emotion, which impressed his audi
tors He spoke slowly and distinctly,
and his utterances were the cause OF
! frequent enthusiastic outbursts. He
referred to the simplicity of the
whole transaction of the conference,
! which, he said. has been singularly
| free of intrigue.
With reference to the future inter-
national understanding. the President
! said:
/ II once believed in armed prepared
ness. 1 advocated it. But I have
come now to believe there is a better
preparedness in public mind and
! world opinion made ready To grart
justice precisely as il eXacts it, And
justice is better served in conferences
of peace than in conflicts at arms.
! Treaties Signed Today.
The treaties signed today were the
| naval limitation treaty, the supple
ment to the four-power Pacific treaty,
the poison gas and submarine treaty.
| the nine-pOwer treaty recognizing
the sovereignty of China, and the
four power Bacific pact signed weeks
ago. they complete the lis of treaties
emanating directly from the confer
! ence. The announcement by Secre-
tary Hughes that the Sino-Japanese
treaty on Shantung had been signed
Saturday. treaty negotiated con-
;temporaneously with the conference,
/; was hailed with applause. These
important agreements looking to
peace must now stand the test Of the
years to come.
| Following a prayer by Rev. DR..
William S. Abernethy. the confer
ence was declared adjourned sine die
by Secretary Hughes at Il:l3 o'clock.
, iweive weeks and a day from the
time is was assembled.
President Ii Overjoyed.
1t was very evident that President
Harding was highly pleased with the
appreciative and enthusiastic manner
in which his address was received. In
fact he SO expressed himself after:
ward. Several times on his way out
of the building he said to those about
him. 1T was great occasion-it was
great moment and 1t is a happy
moment for me-"
The President rode in an automobile
to the conference directly from the
I executive office and was accompanied
only by George B. Christian. his
| secretary.
Mrs Harding. accompanied by one
OF tn: White House military aides.
had preceded him, and. with mum
Der Of intimate friends, including
Mrs. Coolidge and Mrs. Taft. occu-
pied box during the closing scenes
Mrs. Harding. however. rode back TO
the White House wit& the President.
1 Thanks Eavoys In Perss..
At the conclusion Of the session the
President in most informal manner
and In a happy fashion shook hands
with each OF the foreign delegates
, and with others Of the delegates, and
to each he had a word Of cheerful
greeting and compliment.
He thanked them personally for
their participation in the conference
/ and expressed his regret at their
coming departure from this city.
He was back at his desk in the
executive Office at 1880 O'Clock. ready
!, to proceed with his days program.
.,l,slg Applause. Greets
/ Delegates as They Put !.
CinnaflirnS In 1roafinS