The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1922-01-09
PREPARING TO
BEGIN ON The
NAVAL TREATY
Discussion of the Final Draft
Will Be Taken Up by Con
ference Delegates Soon.
PREDICTED WILL BE
DIFFICULT PROBLEM
Delegates Hope to Come to Some
Agreement on the Shantung
Controversy This Week.
(Ry The Associated Prsssl

WASHINGTON, Jan s.-As the
arms conference prepares to begin
discussion Of the final draft of the five
power naval treaty, some of the dele
gates are making a particular study
Of the question of arming merchant
vessels as it may relate TO the limita-
tion agreement.
In no quarter is there apparent a
disposition to raise an issue which
might endanger the treaty at this point
in the negotiations, but among the
foreign delegations it is predicted pri-
vately that the armed ship problem
will be one OF the most difficult of the
collateral questions to arise when the
final draft is gone over section by
section for approval.
The Italians, Japanese and French
all are said to feel that if merchant
men are to be permitted to arm as in
past wars the effect might be not
only to vitiate the project to limit in
dsyidual aHxiiieay wanShta,s to- 10000
tons each. but it might also result in
a great disadvantages to the nations
which have small merchant fleets.
Beyond saying that the status OF a
merchant ship in future is to be the
status well understood in International
law, the American and British dele
gates are not willing to discuss the
subject. Tt is the view in some GUAR
ters. however. that the British may
themselves bring the point up for dis
cussion before the treaty finally is ap-
proved
The subcommittee draft of the in
strument was virtually complete to-
night, after a six-hour sunday session
Of the naval experts, and the full
naval committee probably will begin
its discussion II detail and pfaraseolo-
gy tomorrow or Tuesday. A plenary
session of the conference to make the
treaty public probably viii follow be-
fore the end of the week, and then
the delegates will turn their full at
tention to final attack on unsettled
questions OF the far east
Meantime, the Shantung controversy
remains in deadlock, but hope of an
agreement during the week was ex-
pressed tonight in American quarter
The mediation OF Secreary Hughes and
Arthur ]. Balfour is looked upon by
the Americans and British as almost
certain to bring the two groups to-
gether. although this optimism is not
shared by all the Chinese and Japa-
nese delegates.
1t is evident that the long discussed
Shantung problem has been brought
to a delicate stage, where either
settlement or an agreement to dis
agree will be announced within a few
days. Both the chinese and Japa-
nese are showing signs of lots of pa
tience and unless the mediation eff
fort is a success the subject is ex-
pected to be dropped. so far as the
Washington conference is concerned
The question OF arming merchant
men has arisen in connection with the
attempt of the naval experts to in
clude in the treaty a definition Of the
term "warship" Such definition is
regarded by the naval authorities as
necessary, particularly in view of the
10000 ton auxiliary limit, the related
provision prohibiting any auxiliary
craft from carrying guns of more than
eight-inch caiibre.
Although no announcement was
made after today's long meeting Of the
expert subcommittee, there We're indi-l
cations that the attempt to define an
auxiliary warship was giving the COM
mittee members considerable trouble
In It, It Is said, Is involved the whole
question of wartime relations between
merchant fleets and war fleets. Wheth
er merchantmen are to arm Is regard
ed by some delegates as a question Of
added Importance in view OF the new
five power agreement not to use sub
marines as commerce destroyers.